Jocelyn Benson and Mike Duggan
In a hypothetical three-way race, a statewide poll shows Democrat Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson with a commanding lead over Independent Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, 42-21 percent.
Republican Congressman John James also outpaced Duggan with 30 percent support. Duggan is running as an Independent, hoping to attract voters from both major parties.
The poll, conducted by Target Insyght on behalf of MIRS News, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. It was taken between March 3-6 and involved 600 voters, of whom 41 percent were Republican and 41 percent Democrat. Another 18 percent considered themselves Independent.
"The poll shows Benson ahead, and Duggan still has a big hill to climb," says Ed Sarpolus, executive director of Target Insyght, who conducted the poll.
The poll also shows Benson with a big lead in a Democratic primary for governor. That sampling involved 344 Democratic voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 5.7 percentage points.
- Secretary of State of Michigan Jocelyn Benson: 55 percent
- Lieutenant Governor of Michigan Garlin Gilchrist: 12 percent
- Attorney General of Michigan Dana Nessel: 12 percent
- Genessee County Sheriff Chris Swanson: 3 percent
- Some other Candidate or Undecided/unsure: 19 percent
Here's the results of three different hypothetical races for Senate:
- Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: 42 percent
- Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers: 41 percent:
- Other candidate or unsure: 17 percent
- Democratic Congresswoman Haley Stevens: 35 percent
- Republican former Congressman Mike Rogers: 41 percent
- Some other Candidate or Undecided/unsure: 23 percent
- Democrat and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg: 46 percent
- Republican and former Congressman Mike Rogers: 44 percent
- Some other Candidate or Undecided/unsure: 11 percent
The poll also measured the favorability of candidates. So far, Whitmer has said she has no plans to run for Senate and she is term-limited for governor.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
52 percent Favorable
43 percent Unfavorable
5 percent Never heard or no opinion
Mike Rogers
23 percent Favorable
46 percent Unfavorable
31 percen Never heard or no opinion
Jocelyn Benson
49 percent Favorable
35 percent Unfavorable
16 percent Never heard or no opinion
John James
33 percent Favorable
34 percent Unfavorable
34 percent Never heard or no opinion.
Haley Stevens
29 percent Favorable
10 percent Unfavorable
62 percent Never heard or no opinion
Mike Duggan
42 percent Favorable
16 percent Unfavorable
42 percent Never heard or no opinion
In another category, the poll took a sampling of 344 Democratic voters for the Senate primary. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5.7 percentage points.
Senate Race
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: 43 percent
Congresswoman Haley Stevens: 4 percent
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg: 27 percent
Some other Candidate or Undecided/unsure: 26 percent
As for the Republican primaries, the poll sampled 336 Republican voters with a margin of error of minus or plus 5.7 percentage points.
Governor
Former MI Attorney General Mike Cox: 5 percent
Congressman John James: 57 percent
Michigan Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt: 13 percent
Oakland County Businessman Perry Johnson: 1 percent
Other Candidate or Undecided/unsure: 23 percent
Sarpolus said the poll shows "Nesbitt is beginning to get some traction, outdoing Michael Cox, who has been in the political arena for decades."
