As Florida enters the 2026 election cycle, a new statewide poll from the Florida Chamber of Commerce says likely voters remain confident in Florida’s direction but increasingly skeptical of marijuana legalization efforts.
- Note: The Florida Chamber’s Secure Florida’s Future PAC funneled millions of dollars of Medicaid settlement funds it received from the Hope Florida Foundation to Keep Florida Clean, a political committee that helped defeat a 2024 constitutional that would have legalized marijuana.
The Chamber survey, conducted during the first ten days of January 2026, found 49% of likely Florida voters believe the state is heading in the right direction, compared to 44% who say Florida is on the wrong track.
“If Florida was a stock, I’d buy as much of it as I can, and it’s encouraging to continue to see Floridians having an optimistic outlook on Florida’s future,” said Mark Wilson, President and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. Wilson chairs Secure Florida’s Future.
National Direction Still Concerns Voters
While state optimism remains steady, Floridians view the nation’s direction less favorably. Only 43% say America is heading in the right direction, while 51% believe the country is off on the wrong track.
Both President Donald Trump and Governor Ron DeSantis continue to receive favorable job performance ratings from Florida voters. Governor DeSantis earned 52% approval, while President Trump stands at 50% approval among those polled.
Marijuana Legalization Support Drops Slightly
Perhaps the poll’s most striking finding: support for recreational marijuana legalization has dropped to its lowest level in four years of Florida Chamber polling. Currently, only 51% of Florida voters support legalizing adult personal use of marijuana—down from the 56% who voted for a similar measure in November 2024.
Voter Make-up
Republicans have expanded their voter registration advantage to 1,417,178 active voters over Democrats. However, the GOP voters make up 41% of the state’s total voters.
The generic ballot for 2026 shows Republicans leading 49% to 41%, with key advantages among Hispanic voters (52-39%) and NPA voters (42-38%).
The poll was conducted January 2-10, 2026, with 602 likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 4%.