Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) is running neck-and-neck with relatively unknown Republican opponents, according to a poll released Monday.
Strategic National — a firm working for Republican James Craig — found its client trailing the incumbent by less than one point among likely voters, 46.6 percent to 46 percent, Breitbart News reported.
Meanwhile, Whitmer was 4.6 points ahead of another challenger, former steel foundry sales executive and television news host Tudor Dixon, 45.9 percent to 41.3 percent.
Craig is seemingly the frontrunner in the GOP primary contest, according to the poll. Almost 40 percent of respondents detailed that they would support the former Detroit police chief, while the next closest challenger only gathered 9.9 percent of the support.
“The Michigan Governor’s race is now a tossup between Governor Whitmer and Republican conservative Chief James Craig as the Republicans prepare to gather on Mackinac Island this weekend,” said Strategic National CEO John Yob.
Independents in Michigan turned sharply against Whitmer and President Joe Biden, according to another poll released Monday.
As a kickoff to its annual conference, the Detroit Regional Chamber took the pulse of registered voters and found Whitmer is narrowly above water with 48 percent of respondents approving of her job performance, while 46 percent disapproved, the Detroit News said.
That survey of 600 registered voters, conducted by the Glengariff Group, found independents most sharply turning against the incumbent, 39 percent supporting while 51 percent opposing.
“Michigan elections are decided by independent voters and how she does with these independent voters moving forward will really dictate how Whitmer performs in the 2022 election,” Glengariff Group pollster Richard Czuba told the paper.
Biden’s mishandling of the Afghanistan pullout, in particular, led to worse numbers for him.
The survey found 39 percent of respondents approved of Biden’s job performance, while 53 percent disapproved, the paper said.
Chamber President and CEO Sandy Baruah noted the poll was completed before Biden issued a vaccine mandate to federal employees and companies with at least 100 workers.
“We think that is an overstep,” Baruah said, adding the problems have “cost the Biden administration some credibility.”
“The federal government has not necessarily been the one to implement vaccine requirements.”
Michiganders have also soured on the outlook for the state and country. Biden enjoyed a bump in optimism after the 2020 election, but now, 47 percent said the state is on the “wrong track,” while 39 percent said the state is on the “right track.”
Biden suffered the biggest loss of support among voters who “lean Democratic” and independents.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “James Craig” by James Craig.
