FOR RELEASE: JULY 19, 2007

FLORIDA VOTERS SAY INSURANCE REFORM DOESN’T HELP, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS;

BUT GOV. CRIST’S APPROVAL MOVES TO NEW HIGH

Florida voters love Gov. Charlie Crist as much as ever, giving him a 73 – 11 percent job approval, but 72 percent say his insurance reform plan hasn’t delivered lower rates, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. This is Gov. Crist’s fourth approval score at 69 percent or higher.

Property tax cuts passed by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. Crist were not large enough, 47 percent of voters tell the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll. Another 8 percent say tax cuts were too large, while 29 percent say they are about right.

Florida voters support 57 – 17 percent a proposal to be voted on in January that would create a “Super Homestead Exemption,” although most voters say they know little or nothing about the proposal. The plan needs a 60 percent majority to become law. Complaints from local governments that passage of the super exemption would require cuts in services are either “not valid concerns” or “not a reason to vote against the proposal,” a total of 68 percent of voters say.

“We might want to begin calling him ‘Teflon Charlie’ because Gov. Crist remains enormously popular. Yet voters are not happy with insurance reform he championed and think he and lawmakers didn’t go far enough in their initial tax cut,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Crist’s 73 percent job approval, including 72 – 10 percent among Democrats, is equal to his rating in March, the highest since he took office in January. But voters aren’t seeing the savings in their property insurance rates he promised when signing the reform plan into law earlier this year.

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Quinnipiac University Poll/July 19, 2007—page 2

Since lawmakers passed a new law aimed at reducing property insurance, 31 percent say their bills have gone up; 4 percent say bills have declined and 41 percent say they are the same.

Among those who pay property insurance, 41 percent say their bills are about what they expected, while 49 percent say they expected more of a decrease. Looking forward, 51 percent of Florida voters expect the new law to have only a minor impact on lowering rates; 11 percent expect a major impact and 27 percent expect no impact. And 65 percent expect that insurance companies will benefit more from the new law, while 23 percent think property owners will benefit more.

“Voters haven’t seen the decrease in property insurance rates they expected and are not optimistic that the new law will help them much in the future,” said Brown.

In an open-ended question, where voters can give any answer, 22 percent of Florida voters cite taxes as the most important problem facing the state, followed by 11 percent who list property insurance, 9 percent who cite education and 8 percent who cite immigration.

While most voters support the Super Homestead Exemption proposal, 26 percent remain undecided; 67 percent of voters say the proposal needs a lot more explanation, while only 5 percent say it has been clearly explained to them.

“Even though they don’t know the details of the plan, Florida voters are strongly in favor of the Super Homestead Exemption. Supporters still fall a bit short of the 60 percent threshold, but at first glance they seem to be within range of getting the votes needed for passage,” said Brown.

Senate Approvals

Florida voters approve 47 – 26 percent of the job Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is doing, but give Republican Sen. Mel Martinez a slightly negative 36 – 38 percent approval rating, his lowest ever.

From July 12 - 16, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,106 Florida voters, with a margin of error of +/- 3 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.

For more data -- http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x271.xml, or call (203) 582-5201.

23. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charlie Crist is handling his job

as Governor?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Approve 73% 77% 72% 69% 74% 72% 73%

Disapprove 11 8 10 15 11 11 10

DK/NA 16 15 17 16 14 17 17

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Approve 75% 65% 79% 70% 80% 74%

Disapprove 11 13 10 13 9 9

DK/NA 14 23 10 17 11 16

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Charlie Crist is handling his

job as Governor? * also 73% on 3/29/07

Highest Lowest

Approve Approve

Jul 19 Jun 6 Mar 29 Feb 6 Jul 19 Feb 6

2007 2007 2007 2007 2007 * 2007

Approve 73 70 73 69 73 69

Disapprove 11 12 9 6 11 6

DK/NA 16 19 18 25 16 25

24. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is handling

its job?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Approve 39% 51% 32% 36% 43% 35% 40%

Disapprove 37 26 39 45 40 34 30

DK/NA 24 23 29 19 17 31 29

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Approve 37% 44% 32% 42% 37% 38%

Disapprove 39 30 47 39 31 34

DK/NA 24 26 20 19 32 28

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way the state legislature is

handling its job?

Highest Lowest

Approve Approve

Jul 19 Jun 6 Mar 29 Feb 6 Dec 20 Sep 23 Dec 20

2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2004 2006

Approve 39 41 42 50 38 51 38

Disapprove 37 38 33 27 43 34 43

DK/NA 24 22 25 24 19 15 19

25. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Nelson is handling his job as

United States Senator?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Approve 47% 48% 53% 41% 49% 46% 51%

Disapprove 26 27 19 34 34 19 22

DK/NA 27 26 28 26 17 35 28

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Approve 48% 39% 53% 54% 49% 42%

Disapprove 27 28 26 22 18 30

DK/NA 25 33 20 24 33 29

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bill Nelson is handling his

job as United States Senator?

Highest Lowest

Approve Approve

Jul 19 Jun 7 Mar 29 Feb 6 Dec 21 Feb 6 Aug 12

2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2007 2004

Approve 47 47 53 54 51 54 42

Disapprove 26 21 18 18 23 18 18

DK/NA 27 32 29 28 26 28 40

26. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mel Martinez is handling his job

as United States Senator?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Approve 36% 49% 27% 32% 39% 33% 46%

Disapprove 38 26 44 43 44 33 27

DK/NA 26 26 29 25 17 34 27

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Approve 35% 35% 38% 42% 43% 27%

Disapprove 42 31 44 36 34 42

DK/NA 23 35 19 22 22 31

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Mel Martinez is handling his

job as United States Senator?

Highest Lowest

Approve Approve

Jul 19 Jun 7 Mar 29 Feb 6 Dec 21 Feb 6 Jul 19

2007 2007 2007 2007 2006 2007 2007

Approve 36 37 44 48 42 48 36

Disapprove 38 34 25 22 25 22 38

DK/NA 26 30 31 29 32 29 26

28. In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in Florida

today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Very satisfied 8% 13% 7% 4% 8% 8% 12%

Smwht satisfied 45 54 37 47 48 43 45

Smwht dissatisfied 33 26 38 34 32 34 30

Very dissatisfied 13 6 16 15 11 15 13

DK/NA 1 1 2 1 1 1 -

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Very satisfied 7% 8% 10% 7% 15% 5%

Smwht satisfied 46 56 43 49 39 38

Smwht dissatisfied 33 24 31 31 36 42

Very dissatisfied 14 11 16 12 10 13

DK/NA 1 2 - 1 1 1

TREND: In general, how satisfied are you with the way things are going in

Florida today? Are you very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat

dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Jul 19 Dec 20 Jun 29 May 24 Apr 19 Feb 22 Nov 15

2007 2006 2006 2006 2006 2006 2005

Very satisfied 8 10 13 15 14 15 15

Smwht satisfied 45 41 45 41 45 43 43

Smwht dissatisfied 33 29 26 25 24 26 20

Very dissatisfied 13 19 16 18 15 14 21

DK/NA 1 1 1 1 2 2 1

29. What do you think is the most important problem facing Florida today?

Tot

Taxes Total 22%

Taxes general 7

Property tax 15

Property Insurance 11%

Education Total 9%

Education general 6

Funding education 2

Education other 1

Immigration 8%

Economy Total 7%

Economy general 2

Unemployment/jobs 2

Cost of living 3

Healthcare Total 7%

Healthcare/Costs/

Ins/HMO's 6

Medicare 1

Crime Total 4%

Crime/Violence general 3

Drugs 1

Environment/Pollution 3%

Overcrowding/Over

population 3%

Energy Total 2%

Energy costs general 1

Gas prices 1

Insurance general 2%

Politicians Total 2%

Politicians general 1

Political corruption 1

Hurricanes 1

Housing Costs/

Availability 1

Senior issues 1

Quality of life 1

Drought/Water problems 1

Lack of ethics/Morality 1

Open space/Urban sprawl/

Overdevelopment 1

Highway traffic/

congestion 1

Terrorism general 1

War (Iraq) 1

Other 1

DK/NA 4

TREND: What do you think is the most important problem facing Florida today?

Jul 19 Mar 29 Dec 20 Jun 29 May 24

2007 2007 2006 2006 2006

Crime Total 4% 3% 4% 5% 2%

Crime/Violence general 3 3 3 4 2

Drugs 1 - 1 1 -

Economy Total 7% 5% 6% 6% 6%

Economy general 2 1 2 1 1

Unemployment/jobs 2 3 2 2 2

Minimum wage too low - - 1 1 1

Cost of living 3 1 1 2 2

Education Total 9% 10% 15% 19% 19%

Education general 6 8 9 14 14

Teachers - - 1 1 1

Funding education 2 2 2 3 3

School choice/Vouchers - - 1 - 1

Education other 1 - 2 1 -

Energy costs Total 2% 1% 1% 2% 3%

Energy costs general 1 1 1 1 1

Gas prices 1 - - 1 2

Environment/Pollution 3% 2% 2% 3% 3%

Healthcare Total 7% 4% 2% 2% 3%

Healthcare/Costs/Insurance/HMO's 6 3 2 2 3

Medicare 1 - - - -

Prescription costs - 1 - - -

Home/Property Insurance 11% 15% 22% 5% 6%

Hurricanes/Weather Total 1% 1% - 5% 7%

Hurricanes 1 1 - 4 7

Prepared for weather - - - 1 -

Immigration 8% 6% 9% 10% 13%

Insurance general 2% 3% - - -

Open space/Urban sprawl/Overdev 1% 3% 3% 5% 4%

Overcrowding/Over population 3% 4% 4% 6% 7%

Politicians/Campaigns Total 2% 1% 1% 2% 3%

Politicians/Campaigns general 1 1 - - 1

Political corruption 1 - - 1 1

Bush administration - - 1 - -

Governor/State leadership - - - 1 1

Taxes Total 22% 19% 9% 3% 3%

Taxes general 7 4 3 1 1

Property tax 15 15 6 2 2

Other 1 10 7 6 3

DK/NA 4 6 4 5 6

30. Turning to the issue of property insurance - Over the next year or so, do you think property insurance rates in Florida will go up, go down, or stay about the same?

IF "UP": Will they go up significantly or just a little?

IF "DOWN": Will they go down significantly or just a little?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Up significantly 28% 25% 31% 26% 26% 30% 32%

Up a little 22 24 22 21 25 20 21

Stay the same 26 27 22 31 26 25 23

Down a little 11 14 9 11 9 14 12

Down significantly 2 2 3 - 2 2 2

DK/NA 11 8 13 10 12 10 10

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Up significantly 29% 33% 27% 31% 25% 24%

Up a little 21 31 21 30 9 12

Stay the same 27 17 25 23 36 31

Down a little 11 8 11 7 8 19

Down significantly 2 1 2 2 2 2

DK/NA 11 9 13 6 20 12

31. What do you trust most to reduce and stabilize property insurance rates

in Florida -- government interaction or private sector competition?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Gov interaction 49% 41% 55% 51% 52% 46% 44%

Private competition 37 46 28 39 38 35 36

VOL OPTION (BOTH) 3 3 1 4 4 2 2

DK/NA 12 10 17 6 6 17 17

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Gov interaction 48% 45% 47% 46% 46% 57%

Private competition 39 38 39 39 38 31

VOL OPTION (BOTH) 3 3 4 3 5 1

DK/NA 11 14 11 13 11 11

32. As you may know, earlier this year the state passed a new insurance law aimed

at cutting property insurance rates. Since that law was passed in January have

your property insurance bills gone up, gone down, or stayed about the same?

WtBrnAgn

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Evnglcl

Gone up 31% 31% 31% 32% 29% 34% 34%

Gone down 4 5 3 5 5 4 5

Stayed the same 41 43 39 41 46 37 36

(DON'T PAY PROP INS) 8 7 9 6 6 9 9

DK/NA 16 14 18 16 15 17 17

Home North/

Owners PnHnd Bay Cntrl SthW SthE

Gone up 34% 29% 33% 32% 42% 28%