JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new poll from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) asked more than 800 active registered voters across Florida what their biggest concerns were, and most said the cost of housing and insurance.
The poll, released Tuesday, asked 871 voters their opinions about state and national policy issues, as well as public figures and companies recently in the news.
Of those asked, 34% indicated housing and property insurance costs were the top issues while 21% pointed to the economy, jobs, and inflation as the biggest problems, followed distantly by immigration and education, each with 9%. A small but notable number of respondents indicated divisive politics and politicians, which was volunteered as “something else.”
In a related question, respondents were asked whether, if they had the choice, they would elect to pay for homeowners’ insurance or simply go without it. Overall, 73% said they would pay for insurance, while 22% said they’d go without, according to the poll. These numbers are roughly the same among respondents who reported owning their home and those who do not.
“Concern among Florida voters over housing costs and homeowners’ insurance has seen a big jump the last few years,” said PORL faculty director and professor of political science Dr. Michael Binder. “Back in 2022, only 2% of respondents said housing costs were the most important problem, which shot up to 25% in the span of a year, and seems to be continuing on an upward trend. With the high cost of property insurance and growing public concern across the state, it doesn’t shock me that over 20% of homeowners said they’d go without it if they had the choice.”
Last week, Gov. Ron DeSantis voiced support for lowering property taxes or eliminating them entirely. But the move would require an amendment to the state constitution.
Last year, a state GOP lawmaker proposed a bill to study the impact of eliminating property taxes by replacing them with a sales tax. The proposal died in committee.
The legislative session is set to start in March. It’s unclear if lawmakers will propose and pass a measure to put an amendment on the ballot.
Looking ahead to 2026
With DeSantis limited to two consecutive terms, respondents were also asked about several speculative candidates for Florida‘s 2026 gubernatorial race, although no candidates have officially entered the race.
The poll looked at Matt Gaetz, Ashley Moody, Byron Donalds, Casey DeSantis and Wilton Simpson.
Favorability was highest for Florida’s first lady Casey DeSantis with 30% reporting a favorable opinion, 57% among registered Republicans. Overall, 22% said unfavorable, and 33% had never heard of her.
WATCH: Tuesday’s episode of Politics & Power focuses on a potential Casey DeSantis gubernatorial run. Watch at 7 p.m. or 9 p.m. on News4JAX+.
Matt Gaetz garnered 39% reporting an unfavorable opinion, with 18% favorable and 33% never heard of him. Gaetz fared better among Republicans, with 33% favorable and 23% unfavorable.
A majority of respondents indicated they have never heard of Ashley Moody (54%), Byron Donalds (66%), and Wilton Simpson (79%).
Among those who are familiar with them, respondents found Moody and Donalds more favorable than unfavorable, and Simpson was an even split of 4% in either direction.
“Casey DeSantis was the top early pick for potential Republican primary candidates when we asked back in late 2023, albeit with only 22% support,” said Binder. “She likely enjoys some favorability by association as Florida’s first lady, but most of these potential candidates suffer from a lack of recognition -- some suffering more than others. That said, I expect we’ll see a few of them become household names by the time the August 2026 primary rolls around.”
To read more, visit Unfporl.org or read below.
