TALLAHASSEE, FL. (WTXL) - In less than a week voters will cast their ballots in one of the most highly anticipated races for the State of Florida. The Florida's 2nd Congressional District race is also setting up to be one of the most expensive races with large amounts on money being spent on both sides of the campaign trail.
Florida's 2nd Congressional District seat is setting up to be quite a battle for Republican Congressman Steve Southerland and Democratic challenger Gwen Graham.
The News Herald projects by the time voters head to the polls November 4th close to $5-million is expected to have been spent by both candidates combined. Including outside interest groups $10-million plus may be spent in all during the race. Graham and Southerland have flooded the airwaves firing back and forth at each other with negative TV adds claiming why the other is not fit for the position.
Several issues have been raised on the campaign trail including the economy and what's being done to create jobs, foreign policy and climate change.
In the Leon County Voter Guide, produced by the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee, they asked each candidate five questions dealing with the voting right act, gun laws, the affordable care act, renewable energy and money in politics. Southerland declined to answer any of the questions, while Graham answered them all.
According to the Panama City News Herald, there are plenty of hot button issues that each candidate have spent little time discussing including marijuana legalization, marriage equality and abortion. The two candidates disagree about the minimum wage increase, the medical marijuana issue, immigration and same sex marriage.
Graham feels minimum wage should be increased but gradually, while Southerland feels the focus should be on expanding jobs we already have. Southerland is against the legalization of marijuana and same sex marriage, while Graham is ok with limited use of medical marijuana for certain treatments as well as supporting same sex couples having the same rights as everyone else.
According to a recent poll by Election Projection, the race is a tight one with graham ahead by only a few points. Be sure to tune in to WTXL ABC27 Tuesday November 4th for the latest in election results both on air and online at www.wtxl.tv.
