Polls

Democrats lead in Michigan gubernatorial race

| Tom Jensen

Header-poll-results
Raleigh, N.C. –
Michigan voters are unhappy with their Republican leaders. More Democrats than Republicans are favored in the Michigan legislature and for the Governor’s race next year.

Not helping incumbent Republican Governor Rick Snyder’s re-election race is his current approval rating. Sitting at a 37% approval rating and larger 54% disapproval rating, Snyder has dropped one point in his approval rating since a previous poll in December.

Comparing potential Democratic candidates for Governor next year with Governor Snyder, every Democrat beats Snyder. Voters prefer Virg Bernero, the mayor of Lansing and past candidate for Governor, to Snyder 43-38. Voters also prefer Democratic Congressman Gary Peters and former Democratic Congressman Mark Schauer to Snyder 44-37 and 40-36, respectively. Congressman Peters comes out on top of the Democratic potentials for Governor next year with his 7 point lead.

Michigan voters also voiced their disapproval of the Michigan legislature and their recently passed right-to-work legislation. When asked whether they support or oppose the right-to-work legislation passed last year, 48% of voters oppose the legislation while only 39% support it. 14% of voters are still unsure.

When asked whether they would vote for a Democratic candidate or Republican candidate if there was an election today, more voters would choose a Democrat (48%) over a Republican (36%). Interestingly, a larger percentage of Obama supporters would vote for a Democrat for the legislature than would Mitt Romney supporters vote for a Republican for the legislature.

“Rick Snyder’s poll numbers haven’t seen any recovery since December,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “The decline he saw following passage of the right to work law has not subsided, and right now it looks like he faces an up hill path for reelection.”

PPP surveyed 702 Michigan voters from March 2nd to 4th. The margin of error is +/-3.7%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews.

Topline results are below.  Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of Governor
Rick Snyder’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 37%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 54%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 9%

Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Virg Bernero?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 20%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 26%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 54%

Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Gary Peters?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 17%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 65%

Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mark Schauer?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 11%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 19%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 70%

Q5 If the candidates for Governor in 2014 were
Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Virg
Bernero, who would you vote for?
Rick Snyder ……………………………………………. 38%
Virg Bernero……………………………………………. 43%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q6 If the candidates for Governor in 2014 were
Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Gary
Peters, who would you vote for?
Rick Snyder ……………………………………………. 37%
Gary Peters…………………………………………….. 44%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 19%

Q7 If the candidates for Governor in 2014 were
Republican Rick Snyder and Democrat Mark
Schauer, who would you vote for?
Rick Snyder ……………………………………………. 36%
Mark Schauer …………………………………………. 40%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%

Q8 Do you support or oppose the right-to-work
legislation passed in Michigan late last year?
Support ………………………………………………….. 39%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 48%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 14%

Q9 Do you support or oppose Rick Snyder’s
decision to appoint an emergency financial
manager for the city of Detroit?
Support ………………………………………………….. 57%
Oppose ………………………………………………….. 30%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 12%

Q10 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Democrats in the Michigan legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 41%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 38%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%

Q11 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of the Republicans in the Michigan legislature?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 27%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 56%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 17%

Q12 Generally speaking, if there was an election for
the state legislature today, would you vote for
the Democratic or Republican candidate from
your district?
Democratic candidate ………………………………. 48%
Republican candidate ………………………………. 36%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%

Q13 In the last presidential election, did you vote for
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 42%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 6%

Q14 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 18%
Moderate………………………………………………… 34%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 23%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 14%

Q15 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 53%
Man……………………………………………………….. 47%

Q16 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 33%
Republican……………………………………………… 29%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 38%

Q17 If you are white, press 1. If African-American,
press 2. If other, press 3.
White …………………………………………………….. 78%
African-American …………………………………….. 13%
Other……………………………………………………… 9%

Q18 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45 years old, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If
you are older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 15%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 24%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 21%

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