by Bruce Walker
Less than a week before Election Day, Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon received two pieces of good news.
First, her poll rankings against Democratic incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have tilted significantly in Dixon’s favor. Second, she garnered the endorsement of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce.
The most recent Opinion Saavy/Insider Advantage poll places Whitmer ahead by only 0.2%, when only one month ago the governor boasted a 17% advantage. As of Tuesday the candidates are in a statistical dead-heat: 44.8% of respondents answering say they’d vote for Whitmer if the election were held today, and 44.5% said they’d vote for Dixon.
Demographically, Whitmer claims an advantage among likely women, seniors, and Black voters. In those categories, 51.1% of women preferred Whitmer and 38.7% chose Dixon; 48.2% of seniors opted for Whitmer while 44.7% answered they’d vote for Dixon; and 74% of Blacks chose Whitmer, compared to 12.5% choosing Dixon.
Dixon polled better among younger voters, Gen X, white voters, and other/Hispanic voters. While 42.3% of younger voters said they’d vote for Dixon, 40.5% answered they’d vote for Whitmer; 47% of Gen X voters favored Dixon, compared 45.3% of voters preferring Whitmer; and 53.4% of the other/Hispanic category responded they’d vote for Dixon and 22.2% said they’d vote for Whitmer.
Dixon polled far ahead of Whitmer with male and independent voters. Fifty-two percent of men polled said they’d vote for Dixon, compared to 37.2% inclined to vote for Whitmer, and 50.7% of independents indicated they’d vote for Dixon, compared to 29.4% saying they’d vote for Whitmer.
The survey of 550 likely Michigan voters was conducted Sunday, Oct. 30, and was given a 4.2% margin of error.
Dixon’s jump from underdog status to legitimate contender in this year’s governor’s race also was bolstered by the influential endorsement Tuesday from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce business advocacy group. The chamber’s Political Action Committee Board granted the endorsement after conducting candidate interviews, receiving input from chamber members, and evaluating candidates’ policy positions on important business and economic issues.
“The multitude of challenges facing our state’s job providers and impacting our economy warrant a new direction – that’s why we believe Tudor Dixon is the best choice to lead Michigan for the next four years,” Jim Holcomb, chamber president & CEO, said in a statement. “Tudor is a champion of free enterprise and has demonstrated a clear commitment to practical problem solving and building a stronger Michigan that works for businesses, communities and families alike.”
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Bruce Walker is a regional editor at The Center Square. He previously worked as editor at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy’s MichiganScience magazine and The Heartland Institute’s InfoTech & Telecom News.
Photo “Tudor Dixon” by Tudor Dixon.
