Dixon, Whitmer In Statistical Tie, New Poll Finds; Michigan Race Going ‘Down To The Wire’

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I expect Republican Tudor Dixon to win. Again, as the Trafalger Group notes, Republicans are systematically underreported in polls. Those voters that Biden labels “enemies of the state” are keeping their heads down in the polls but will vote their consciences in the election. 

The Michigan governor’s race has become a “barnburner,” according to a new poll.

In what was once a contest that first-term Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) was seemingly running away with, Republican candidate Tudor Dixon has made up remarkable ground, trailing by just two points, according to the latest Mitchell/MIRS poll .

The poll of 541 likely general election voters conducted earlier this week found the governor leading 49% – 47%, within the 4.2% margin of error, and 3% of respondents remained undecided.

“After a strong debate performance and after a statewide TV buy that has given Tudor Dixon much needed advertising, she has closed the race to a two percent margin, 49%-47%,” Steve Mitchell, president of Mitchell Research, said in a statement .

Whitmer, who has made abortion rights the center of her campaign following the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade , leads her Republican opponent among Michigan women by 14 points, while Dixon holds the lead among men by 11 points, according to the poll. The survey results also showed that both candidates have solidified their support from their bases as the governor garnered 92% support from Democrats and Dixon held 89% support from Republicans. The all-important independent voters favor Whitmer by four points (49% – 45%).

 

Dixon’s upward trend in polling comes after the candidates sparred in their first debate last week. Throughout the debate, the Republican candidate hit Whitmer for her record on the economy, crime, and COVID lockdowns, while the governor attempted to cast Dixon as too radical for Michigan, especially on the issues of abortion and gun rights .