Attorney General Bill Schuette’s lead in the Michigan Governor’s race has completely collapsed as more Republican primary voters continue to have doubts about Schuette, causing many to embrace Lt. Governor Brian Calley.
Two months ago, Schuette led Calley by nearly 40%, now, that margin is now down to just 11%, a nearly 75% drop.
According to a new poll from Mitchell Research And Communications, Schuette leads Calley 25% to 14%. A poll from Mitchell showed Schuette ahead 52% to 13% just a few weeks ago.
“This is clearly now a close race,” the firm’s owner Steve Mitchell told MIRS, a Michigan based political website.
Mitchell polled nearly 400 likely Republican primary voters earlier this week. State Senator Patrick Colbeck and Dr. Jim Hines each received 2%.
Another troubling sign for Schuette: the number of undecided voters is growing.
58% now say they are undecided compared to only 36% a few weeks ago. That means a large amount of Schuette voters are no longer backing the Attorney General and instead looking at other candidates like Calley.
Given the fact that Schuette has been in the political spotlight for over 30 years, this huge loss of support should be immensely worrying.
Mitchell tells MIRS that Calley’s entrance into the Governor’s race and campaign to enact a Part Time Legislature have helped the Lt. Governor close the gap.
“In the last two months, Calley has transferred leadership of his part-time legislature ballot initiative to other Republican activists, announced his candidacy, and touted the gains Michigan has made since Gov. Rick Snyder and Calley were elected in 2010,” Mitchell said.
Calley consultant John Yob tells MIRS he is surprised at Schuette’s rapid collapse, and Yob believes undecided voters will continue to break for Calley.
“We knew the race would tighten as voters compared the two candidates, but it is rare that you see polling numbers totally collapse so quickly,” Yob said. “Voters will move from undecided to Brian Calley as they decide to continue the Michigan comeback rather than revert back to the failed policies of the lost decade.”
Mitchell’s poll mirrors a survey Yob’s consulting firm, Strategic National, released earlier this week. That poll also showed Schuette and Calley separated by an 11 point margin, with Schuette receiving 30% to Calley’s 19%.
Strategic National was featured on the Drudge Report for correctly predicting President Trump’s historic Michigan victory.
