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Photo: Top row, left to right: Fred Durhal III, Todd Perkins, Mary Sheffield, Saunteel Jenkins. Bottom row: L-R: John Barlow, Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr., James Craig.
A just-released poll by Target Insyght of Lansing shows City Council President Mary Sheffield leading the pack in the Detroit mayoral primary race with 32 percent, and Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr. leaping into second place at 25 percent—a dramatic bump from 5 percent in the previous poll taken in February.
The poll, conducted May 4–7 among 400 voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percentage points, also shows:
►Detroit Police Chief James Craig with 19 percent, down from 20 percent in February.
►Former City Council President Saunteel Jenkins with 7 percent, down from 12 percent in February.
►Attorney Todd Perkins with 5 percent, up from 4 percent in February.
►City Councilman Fred Durhal III with 2 percent, up from 1 percent in February.
►Entrepreneur John Barlow with 1 percent, up from 0 percent in February.
►Undecided or unsure voters at 10 percent, down from 21 percent in February.
►Mary Sheffield slipped from 34 percent in February to 32 percent in May, according to the poll.
"The top three are the only possible candidates to get through the primary at this stage because no one else has shown any ability to generate the income or visibility in the race," said pollster Ed Sarpolus, executive director of Target Insyght. "Remember, next month they're already sending out absentee ballots."
Sarpolus went on to say that this is a different race compared to those in the past.
"This is the first time in the last 10 or 20 years that we don't know who the winners are going to be in the primary on May 1," he said.
He noted that many candidates are having trouble gaining name recognition. He said Rev. Kinloch of Triumph Church is benefitting from having a large congregation that lives in the city.
Sarpolus added that Sheffield has name recognition and some support from the business community—but not at the level of past candidates like Mayor Mike Duggan.
"She has gotten some money from different business groups because they assume she's going to win and they want to be sure the door is open to be able to talk to her," he said.
As far as likeability, voters in the poll rated the candidates as follows:
►Mary Sheffield: Likeable: 49 percent | Unfavorable: 14 percent | Never heard of or no opinion: 37 percent
►Rev. Solomon Kinloch Jr.: Likeable: 41 percent | Unfavorable: 18 percent | Never heard of or no opinion: 41 percent
►Saunteel Jenkins: Likeable: 32 percent | Unfavorable: 13 percent | Never heard of or no opinion: 55 percent
►James Craig: Likeable: 26 percent | Unfavorable: 37 percent | Never heard of or no opinion: 37 percent
►Fred Durhal III: Likeable: 13 percent | Unfavorable: 18 percent | Never heard of or no opinion: 69 percent
►Todd Perkins: Likeable: 12 percent | Unfavorable: 13 percent | Never heard of or no opinion: 76 percent
The poll also showed Mayor Mike Duggan with a favorable rating of 69 percent, unfavorable of 18 percent, and 13 percent with no opinion.
The primary is scheduled for Aug. 5, three months from now. The two top candidates will run in the general election on Nov. 4.
