Granholm 47% DeVos 44% in new WXYZ Poll

[bfealk]

New Poll Shows Tight Race, Offers Insight into Voters' Choices
By 7 Action News Team
Web produced by Seth Myers
July 26, 2006

The latest Channel 7/Detroit News poll shows that Governor Jennifer Granholm has a narrow lead, within the margin of error, in her race for re-election. The poll also suggests that the business background of opponent Dick DeVos may be a liability for the challenger.

If November’s General Election were held today, Granholm would beat DeVos by 3 percentage points. This is a reversal from our last poll, conducted June 21, when DeVos saw an early lead shrink to just 2 points.

All poll results carry a margin of error of +/- 4.0%.

600 likely Michigan voters were polled about the November governor’s race and other issues facing the state. The poll was conducted between July 19 and 25, 2006. Polling was done for 7 Action News and the Detroit News by EPIC/MRA.

Pollsters asked potential voters several questions to help identify why they chose one candidate over the other.

25% of those who lean toward reelecting Granholm say, "She's done a good job." 11% would vote for her simply because she is a Democrat.

DeVos' television ads focus on his business background. That seems to resonate with voters. 25% of the people who would vote for the challenger identify that background as the reason he would have their vote. 17% of those choosing DeVos say they would do so because the state needs a change. Others would choose DeVos because they find Governor Granholm to be ineffective.

Dick DeVos’ business background also seems to be a bit of a potential liability. 11% of voters who don't plan to vote for DeVos do not trust his connection with Amway - now known as Alticor. An equal number either dislike DeVos or think he is, "Only for business."

Governor Granholm has her own image problems. Nearly a third of those who do not plan to vote for the incumbant say she's been "ineffective." Others simply don't like her or they blame her for Michigan's poor economy.



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By the Numbers

Here are some of the questions asked in our most recent poll and the responses we received:
If the election were held today and you had to decide right now, which candidate would you lean toward?
47% - Jennifer Granholm
44% - Dick DeVos
9% - Undecided/don’t know/refused

Later in the phone conversation with our poll respondents, they were read brief biographical information about both Granholm and DeVos. They were then asked, again:

If the election for governor were held today, would you vote for Jennifer Granholm the Democrat or Dick DeVos the Republican? (Names are always rotated by our pollsters)
48% - Jennifer Granholm
44% - Dick DeVos
8% - Undecided/don’t know/refused

Overall, would you say that Michigan is headed in the right direction or are things pretty seriously off on the wrong track?
28% - Right direction
58% - Wrong track
14% - Undecided/don’t know

Those who chose Granholm, told our pollsters they did so for these top reasons:
25% - Done a good job
11% - A Democrat
5% - For the common people
5% - Legal background
5% - Like her
5% - More qualified
5% - Political experience
4% - Agree on issues
4% - Education supporter
4% - Leadership
4% - Trying hard

Granholm supporters listed these as the top reasons they did not support DeVos:
11% - Amway
11% - Don’t like DeVos
10% - DeVos only for businesses
8% - Don’t know DeVos
7% - DeVos only for the rich
6% - DeVos trying to buy office
6% - Political experience
5% - A Democrat
4% - Agree on issues
3% - Don’t trust him

Those who chose Dick DeVos identified the following top reasons for their selection:
25% - Business background
17% - Need a change
9% - Granholm ineffective
7% - A Republican
5% - Leadership
5% - Michigan lost jobs
4% - Don’t like Granholm
4% - Michigan poor economy
3% - Like him
2% - Conservative

DeVos supporters identified these top reasons why they would not vote for Jennifer Granholm:
30% - Granholm ineffective
9% - Don’t like Granholm
9% - Michigan poor economy
5% - Need a change
3% - A Republican
3% - Michigan lost jobs
2% - Agree on issues
2% - Better choice
2% - Conservative

Finally, poll respondents were asked: Knowing that Dick DeVos was the President and CEO of Alticor Corporation, formerly known as Amway Corporation, will you be more or less likely to vote for Dick DeVos for Governor in the November election, or, would you say that know this would influence your decision one way or the other?
14% - More likely
62% - Won’t influence decision
21% - Less likely
3% - Undecided/don’t know

[Vidar]

1. Thanks for the good news

[MichiganVote]

2. DeVos+ Abramhoff+DeLay+Rove.....can we really afford a billionaire?