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The U.S. Senate and governor races in Michigan in 2018 have the potential to get pretty interesting, particularly if two popular wild cards -- Geoffrey Fieger and Kid Rock -- jump in.
A Target-Insyght survey of 377 likely Democratic primary voters statewide shows former state Senate minority leader Gretchen Whitmer and Southfield lawyer Geoffrey Fieger tied at 35 percent, Ed Sarpolus, pollster and executive director of Target-Insyght in Lansing, tells Deadline Detroit.
Gretchen Whitmer and Geoffrey Fieger
In a Detroit poll of 400 Democratic voters, Fieger leads with 38 percent compared to Whitmer's 7 percent, Sarpolus said. Fieger has yet to announce his candidacy, but expresses interest.
"If she's going to win the primary, Gretchen Whitmer has to make more inroads into Southeast Michigan, particularly among people of color," Sarpolus says.
Two other Democratic candidates for governor don't fare so well in the statewide poll. Former Detroit health department director Abdul El-Sayed gets 4 percent and Ann Arbor businessman Shri Thanedar draws 3 percent.
Without Fieger in the race, it would be Whitmer's to lose, Sarpolus said.
The polls were first reported in The Detroit News.
A Target-Insiygt poll of 822 likely Michigan voters shows incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow leading Kid Rock 50-42 percent. Kid Rock, aka Robert James Ritchie, leads the potential field of Republican candidates for U.S. Senate, which includes former state Supreme Court Justice Robert Young, Sarpolus said.
Kid Rock has not yet officially announced his candidacy but has expressed interest in exploring the possibility. He's expected to make a decision in six weeks.
Sarpolus says Kid Rock certainly has the money to run. "The question is can he withstand the scrutiny, which he has never experienced," he adds.
He sees Kid Rock as far more conservative than many people think, in a state that still shows support for President Donald Trump. "He is like a mini-Trump."
In the Republican race for governor, Attorney General Bill Schuette leads Lt. Gov. Brian Calley 42-14 percent in a poll, Sarpolus said. Neither have officially announced.
As for the Detroit mayor's race, a poll shows that incumbent Mayor Mike Duggan leads state Sen. Coleman A. Young II by 64-30 percent.
The primary is next Tuesday, Aug. 8.
