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Despite Polls, Tampa Mayor Says Clinton Wins Florida

Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn, the Democratic chief executive of Florida’s third-largest city, says he’s not worried by the latest polls that put former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton neck-and-neck with billionaire Republican Donald Trump in the Sunshine State.

Despite GOP establishment concerns about Trump’s chances in a general election, the latest polls say the presidential race here, and a few other swing states, is too close to call. But Buckhorn says time is on Clinton’s side in Florida.

“I think the thought of waking up on that Wednesday morning and seeing the newspaper headline saying, “President Donald Trump,” is going to have a chilling effect on the other side.”

A Quinnipiac University poll of Florida voters released May 10 showed Clinton ahead of Trump 43-42, within the margin of error. A CBS News poll conducted May 16th-19th showed the same numbers. Buckhorn acknowledges Florida is a purple state and calls it, “ground zero for American politics.”

A Miami native, former WFSU reporter Jim Ash is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience, most of it in print. He has been a member of the Florida Capital Press Corps since 1992.