A new poll out of Michigan shows the state’s Senate contest narrowing. Marketing Resource Group, a public opinion survey research firm in Michigan, found that voters are far from enthusiastic about incumbent Democratic Senator Gary Peters, and the approvals of Republican challenger John James are climbing. Sen. Peters is vying for a second term in the upper chamber.
The group’s survey, at +6 Democrat, asked 600 likely voters in Michigan about November’s Senate race between June 12 and 15. With a margin of error of 4 percent, only 19 percent of voters affirmed that Sen. Peters deserves a second term, while 30 percent say it is time to elect someone new and 50 percent remain undecided. When asked who they would vote for if the election were held “today,” 28 percent of those surveyed said that would definitely vote for Sen. Peters, with 6 percent responding that their vote would “lean” toward the Democratic incumbent. On the same question, James received 26 percent of enthusiastic support, with 3.5 percent “leaning” toward the Republican. Of the voters surveyed, 13 percent in total said that they would vote for “someone else,” while 18 percent remain undecided about the election.
After 3 decades in politics and less than 5 months to go before the general election, less than 20% of Michigan voters think @GaryPeters deserves reelection. #MISen https://t.co/cB5dDX1ZmQ
— Tori Sachs (@Tori_Sachs) June 16, 2020
James, a rising star in the Republican Party, ran against Michigan’s senior senator, Debbie Stabenow, in 2018 and lost by 6 points to the 20-year incumbent. With little name recognition and a minimal record to run on, Sen. Peters is much more vulnerable of an incumbent.
The Cook Political Report holds the seat as “lean Democrat” and the Real Clear Politics average shows Sen. Peters at +9, but James has consistently dominated fundraising in the race.