A Suffolk University poll released Monday shows a tight race for Bill Nelson's U.S. Senate seat a week before Election Day.

Of 500 likely voter respondents across the state who were surveyed by phone from Oct. 25-28, 45 percent said they would vote for or lean toward Democrat Nelson while 43 percent said they would vote for or lean toward Republican Gov. Rick Scott. But the poll's margin of error of 4.4 percent indicates the result could swing either way, and nearly 18 percent of respondents said they were undecided or might change their minds.

The numbers are similar to polling results for the governor's race, where 45 percent favor or would vote for Democrat Andrew Gillum while 44 percent favor or would vote for Republican Ron DeSantis.

Of the 138 respondents who already voted, 33 percent said they voted for Scott and 57 percent said they voted for Nelson.

More:Scott-Nelson debate nothing but a vague-on-issues show

More:Sen. Bill Nelson and Donald Trump: 10 key votes the Florida Democrat cast in the Trump era

More:Gov. Rick Scott delivered jobs, but nearly half of Floridians still struggle

Scott polled best among the 65-plus age category, with 61 percent of those voters favoring him, while Nelson polled best among the 45-54 age group, with 56 percent in that category. Nelson was favored by 78 percent of black voters to Scott's 4 percent. Nelson's support from black respondents was almost on par with black gubernatorial candidate Gillum, who polled at 81 percent.

When asked what the most important issue is when voting for U.S. Senate, respondents' most popular answers were health care (25 percent), the economy (almost 25 percent) and immigration (more than 20 percent).

Poll respondent Jim Ritchie, 65, of Sebring, said he's voting Republican this year despite being registered as a Democrat. He said he's disappointed with the Democratic Party and that he's "trying to keep everything the same in Florida," adding that he was pleased with Scott's response as governor to recent hurricanes.

"He helped us get back on our feet," Ritchie said. "I've been listening to politicians, and I don't like the idea of them taking my tax breaks. (Democrats are) running on a socialist ticket, and I'm not into socialism."

Cynthia Henry, 54, of Quincy, said she favors Nelson because he "has done some good things for the state of Florida," like supporting the Affordable Care Act.

"Bill Nelson really looked out when it came down to health care for the Obama insurers," Henry said. "People are really hurting; there are people that cannot even get health insurance now."

Henry said she also likes Nelson's stance on gun control, a key issue for her. A majority polled said the next governor should ban semi-automatic weapons like the AR-15 rifle.

Danette Potochick, 61, of Palm Coast, said she's excited about "getting somebody with sound reason in office." She said she has been nonpartisan most of her adult life but became a registered Democrat because of primary voting.

She hasn't liked what Scott has done as governor regarding the environment and health care, adding that she thinks it's better to have Nelson in office.

Forty-three percent of those polled disapproved of Scott's job as governor compared with 46 giving him a favorable rating.

"I voted Republican in the past, but I disagree with someone voting a party line just to do a party line," Potochick said. "I think you need to look at the individual and what they're going to do."

More people in the poll had an unfavorable rating for Scott, 45 percent to 43 percent. Nelson's favorable rating was 41 percent compared with 38 percent unfavorable.

Peter Bergerson, a political science professor at Florida Gulf Coast University whose area of expertise includes Florida campaigns and elections, said favorable ratings translate well for campaigning politicians. He said he's not surprised by Nelson's favorable rating.

"He has not been dramatic; he has not been extreme on the right or left," Bergerson said, adding that his longer history in elected politics in Florida is also a factor.

While President Trump had a 47 percent to 45 percent unfavorable rating in the poll, respondents were split on his effect on their midterm voting. Thirty-nine percent said they want their November vote to support the direction Trump is leading the country, while another 39 percent said they want their vote to change that direction.

Another 17 percent said the election has nothing to do with Trump.

Barbara Wegznek, 57, of Jacksonville, said she is "definitely pro-Trump," though she was undecided for a while on the Senate race because she's been seeing negative campaign ads against Scott for years.

But she said her support for the president was the deciding factor in voting for Scott this week.

"I figured he would side with (Trump) more," Wegznek said.

Connect with this reporter on Twitter and Facebook or at sjarvis@news-press.com.