Momentum for Sink in Florida?

The national press is obsessed with the fact that a makeup artist passed Florida Democrat Alex Sink a message during a gubernatorial debate this week, suggesting that Republican Rick Scott may waltz into the governorship as a result of this faux pas. But judging by three polls out today, it appears the momentum may still be with Sink. First Quinnipiac:

Florida Democrat Alex Sink leads Republican Rick Scott in the race for governor of the fourth- most-populous U.S. state for the first time in a Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters.

The Q poll was in the field before the debate, but for its worth Sink lead by a 4-point margin, 45 percent to 41 percent. Mason-Dixon polling, most of which was conducted in the wake of the debate, shows a largely similar result:

A Mason-Dixon poll released today shows Sink leading 46 percent to Scott's 43 percent, within the poll's four-point margin of error. Of those surveyed, 7 percent remain undecided and 4 percent supported another candidate.

Rasmussen Reports was in the field two days after the debate, after voters had a chance to digest the Sink story, and found that voters were actually moving towards the Democrat.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Sunshine State finds Republican Rick Sink with a three-point lead – 48% to 45% - over Democrat Alex Sink. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate in the race, while four percent (4%) are still undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

The race, which shifted a week ago to Leans Republican, now moves back to a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

A week ago, Scott posted a six-point lead, 50% to 44%, the widest gap between the candidates in six months of polling.

That's right. Scott's lead was halved from 6 points to 3 in the wake of the debate, according to not-so-Democratic-friendly Rasmussen. So much for the Beltway's common wisdom that Sink lost the race during the debate this week.