Whitmer, Schuette Lead Polls In Michigan Primary

MICHIGAN — In less than two weeks, Michigan will elect its next leader to replace Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, who has reached term limits. According to a recent poll by the Detroit Free Press, Republican Bill Schuette and Democrat Gretchen Whitmer hold commanding leads in the race.

According to their latest results, Schuette, the state attorney general, would get 42 percent of the Republican primary vote if the election were held now, while Lt. Gov. Brian Calley would get 24 percent, according to the poll conducted by EPIC-MRA of Lansing for the Free Press and its media partners. Sen. Patrick Colbeck of Canton would get 11 percent, while 8 percent would vote for Saginaw-area physician Dr. Jim Hines and 15 percent remain undecided.

On the Democratic side, Whitmer, the former Senate minority leader, holds an even larger lead, the poll found. Whitmer would get 49 percent of the vote, while Ann-Arbor area businessman Shri Thanedar would get 22 percent, and Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, the former director of the Detroit health department, would get 19 percent. Another 10 percent remain undecided.

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Your Guide To Michigan’s 2018 Primary Election

Their report also highlighted other findings in the race:

• Whitmer has more support from men (53%) than women (45%).
• El-Sayed is most popular among women ages 18-49 (he has 40% of their vote, compared to Whitmer, who has just 28%).
• Thanedar is favored among black voters and in Detroit as a whole (37% compared to Whitmer’s 28%).
• President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Schuette carries more weight than Snyder’s endorsement of Calley, experts told the Free Press. Trump has a 79% Republican job approval rating, compared to 65% for Snyder.

The governor serves a four-year term and is paid $159,300 a year, plus a $54,000 expense allowance.

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