Poll results show Democrats hold strong leads, Michigan voters approve of recreational marijuana

Democrats lead races for attorney general, secretary of state

DETROIT – Local 4 has exclusive new poll numbers that offer a look at where the November election is heading in Michigan.

The poll has results from how voters feel about recreational marijuana to the race for secretary of state and attorney general.

There was concern when Democrats decided to put an all-women slate up for November, but so far it's been a resounding positive for the party.

Mirroring the gubernatorial and senate races at the top of the ticket, Democrats in the down-ballot races are in a strong position.

Dana Nessel leads Republican Tom Leonard by nearly 13 points in the attorney general's race, but polling shows neither candidate has great name identification. Fewer than 25 percent of voters knew who they were.

In the secretary of state race, Jocelyn Benson leads Mary Treder Lang in the only statewide race with two women going head-to-head. Benson's lead is more than 15 percent, but fewer than a quarter of voters knew who they were.

"I think that's an enormous problem for all the candidates -- that voters don't know them," pollster Richard Czuba said. "But when you look at the atmosphere we're in, voters sharply voting against (President Donald) Trump -- it's the same effect we saw in the governor's race and the U.S. Senate race."

Recreational marijuana is poised to win, and that's with zero money being spent on advertising in the race.

The redistricting ballot proposal, which would be an amendment to the Michigan constitution establishing an outside commission to draw up political maps, is in the 30s for both "yes" and "no." Historically, a ballot proposal has to be polling in the upper 50s to see success at the ballot box.


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.