The latest Florida Chamber statewide poll finds more than half (53 percent) of Florida voters believe the Florida economy is better off than other states while only 24 percent believe it is worse off than other states.

Florida has created 44,500 jobs in the last month and 300,600 jobs in the past year, according to the chamber. The Sunshine State’s rolling annual growth rate of 3.2 percent is a full percentage point higher than the national level and July’s 0.5 percent increase in jobs was five times the growth at the national level. Looking back over the last year, Florida created 1 in 12 U.S. jobs, while similarly sized New York created only 1 in 27 jobs. The unemployment rate in Florida at 2.7 percent is lower than other large states (the unemployment rate in California is at 4.6 percent, Texas is at 4.1 percent and New York is at 3.9 percent.)

“Florida’s economic momentum continues to outpace the nation,” said Florida Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Mark Wilson. “Thanks to the leadership of Gov. DeSantis and legislative leaders like House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, recent legislative action reining in runaway litigation that drives up costs for Florida families and local businesses will pave the way for more competition and Florida’s continued growth.” 

DeSantis vs. Biden job approval numbers

The Florida Chamber poll also found that Gov. DeSantis has solid job approval numbers, while President Joe Biden’s job approval numbers have plummeted.

More than half of voters (51 percent) approve of the job DeSantis is doing as governor, with 85 percent of Republicans and 59 percent of NPAs approving of his job as governor. The governor also has strong approval amongst Hispanic voters with 55 percent approving of his performance and 45 percent disapproving. 

Biden’s numbers are quite the opposite, with 56 percent of voters disapproving of the job he is doing as President. Almost all Republicans (89 percent) and nearly 2/3 of NPAs (65 percent) disapprove of President Biden’s performance as President. The President has an approval rating of only 37 percent among Hispanic voters, with 62 percent disapproving of his performance.