Granholm leads DeVos in poll(51-33); over half give positive job rating (52%)

AP ^ | 7-8-05 | Kathy Barks Hoffman

[Dan from Michigan]

Granholm leads DeVos in poll; over half give positive job rating

7/8/2005, 5:16 p.m. ET
By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN
The Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm leads likely Republican opponent Dick DeVos 51 percent to 33 percent in a new poll released Friday. Sixteen percent were undecided.

The governor's job approval and favorability ratings remain above 50 percent, nearly unchanged since March. Republicans have criticized Granholm for not doing enough to help boost the state's struggling economy, but the sharp words apparently have not done much to dent how voters feel about her.

The latest poll surveyed 934 people and was conducted June 29 through Thursday by Lansing-based EPIC/MRA. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The EPIC/MRA governor's race results are similar to a March poll of 600 registered voters by Marketing Resource Group of Lansing for the newsletter "Inside Michigan Politics." That poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, showed Granholm with 47 percent and DeVos with 32 percent. Eleven percent were undecided.

DeVos, former president of direct sales giants Alticor Inc. and Amway Corp., announced in early June he was getting into the 2006 governor's race. The EPIC/MRA poll did not do matchups between Granholm and the other GOP candidates, state Sen. Nancy Cassis of Novi and state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk of Kalamazoo.

Greg McNeilly of the DeVos campaign said the poll is interesting, but not very meaningful 482 days before the election, especially since DeVos is only now opening a Grand Rapids campaign office and getting his campaign off the ground.

"He is not in a public campaigning phase right now. He is in an organizational phase," McNeilly said. "The differences between the amount of money that's been spent to promote the name `Jennifer Granholm' compared to `Dick DeVos' is pretty substantial."

Thirty-five percent of those polled didn't recognize DeVos' name, compared to 1 percent who didn't know the governor. Of those who recognized DeVos, 19 percent had a favorable opinion, 16 percent an unfavorable opinion and 30 percent were undecided.

The poll showed that only 24 percent of those polled thought the state is moving in the right direction, compared to 52 percent who think it's on the wrong track, with 24 percent undecided. Forty-six percent said the state's economy has gotten worse in recent months, and only 24 percent expect it to improve over the next six months to a year.

Ed Sarpolus of EPIC/MRA said the "wrong track" number had improved from a high of 60 percent or more. But he warned voters' negative attitude still carries a risk for Granholm.

"Essentially what we're seeing in that is that there are some rays of hope," Sarpolus said. "Still, it's cautious because when you ask people about the next six months ... only a quarter thinks there's going to be any definite improvement."

Granholm spokeswoman Liz Boyd said the governor is doing her best to get the economy moving again with proposals to revamp the state's main business tax, create an investment fund to promote the growth of high-tech jobs and add more money to the Michigan Merit college scholarship.

"The governor understands that the economy is everyone's No. 1 priority," Boyd said. "We believe the more people know about creating jobs today and jobs tomorrow — the kind of jobs that can't be outsourced — and the governor's plan to make college affordable and accessible for every child, the more that plan will resonate with them."

The number of voters giving Granholm a positive job rating went from 51 percent in March to 52 percent in the latest poll, while the number giving her a negative job rating dropped from 48 percent to 44 percent. About 4 percent were undecided.

Fifty-six percent said they had a favorable opinion of the governor, virtually unchanged from 57 percent in March. But while 38 percent had an unfavorable opinion then, only 32 percent said they do now. The number who said they're undecided doubled from 5 percent to 11 percent.

[Dan from Michigan]

The AP can spin this all they want. She's an incumbent barely over 50% with a struggling economy. She's in trouble. This could be 1990 all over again.

DeVos hasn't even campaigned yet.

Dick DeVos campaign site

Nancy Cassis campaign site

Jack Hoogendyk Campaign Site

[roses of sharon]

Hey Dan, have you met Keith Butler the candidate for Senate?

Or do you know anything about him?

[Dan from Michigan]

Keith Butler's campaign site

I have met Keith Butler twice, and heard him speak a few times. He's an excellent speaker. I think he's the best chance to win of the announced or possible candidates(I'm assuming Terri Land is not running for Senate). I agree with him on most issues, including life, 2nd amendment, taxes, business regulations, and the borders.

His campaign speech is on the website with an introduction by Mike Cox(who endorsed him later). You can see it for yourself on the site.

Barring any sudden surprises, Keith Butler has my vote.

[Dan from Michigan]

elections ping

[roses of sharon]

Thanks, I have some literature and he will be in Howell in July, I will try to get there.

[Dan from Michigan]

Thanks, I have some literature and he will be in Howell in July, I will try to get there.

July 28. I'll probably be there as well. It's actually between Howell and Hartland on M59.

[fieldmarshaldj]

I have absolutely no idea who is the best candidate of the bunch to take on Missy Grandstand. I know there's some who belittle DeVos because of his AmWay connections, and I wonder how much that could hurt him one way or the other.

[Dan from Michigan]

I don't know who the best candidate is either. Other candidates may jump in as well for all I know.

I'm undecided so far.