New PLS poll shows Michigan voters are worried about the economy and corruption, leading them to support Democrats
October 29, 2026 - Karessa Weir
The majority of likely Michigan voters are most concerned about the economy and believe Michigan is worse off now than it was 10 years ago, leading them to support Democratic candidates over Republicans in statewide races.
They also are concerned about corruption in government, and the undue influence of the wealthy and corporations in politics, found Political Science Associate Professor Corwin Smidt.
"Along with being helpful to know who wins or why, this poll focuses on what is unifying our voters and, going forward, what we can work together on with shared beliefs and values," Smidt said.
Smidt surveyed 1,400 likely Michigan voters and found the majority favor Democrats for Governor and U.S. Senate seats, with their decisions based on "economic pessimism, disapproval of (President) Trump, and the desire to improve affordability and reduce political corruption."
In the governor's race, Democrat Jocelyn Benson is supported by 48.5 percent of likely voters, compared to 38.7 percent for Republican John James. The survey shows 3.3 percent support for other candidates and 9.6 percent of voters undecided. The margin of error is plus/minus 3.1 percent.
Similarly, Democratic U.S. Senator candidate Abdul El-Sayed is favored by 48.0 percent of likely voters while Mike Rogers, a Republican, received support of 41.8 percent. This race shows 3.4 percent of support for other candidates and 6.8 percent undecided with a margin of error of plus/minus 2.9 percent.
"We see here a majority of the electorate who are not in favor of Trump's performance," Smidt said.
The economy was the largest area of concern for the voters polled, with 48.6 percent saying they are worse off financially than they were a year ago. They also cited lowering the cost of living as the top priority when selecting the next governor.
An overwhelming majority – 85 percent – of the likely voters agreed with the statement "Wealthy people and corporations have too much influence over government." The second top priority in deciding their vote was to "reduce political corruption."
Only 29.5 percent of Michigan likely voters rate President Trump's performance as good or excellent.
Overall, the majority of Michiganders polled believe Michigan has fallen behind rather than moved ahead when compared to other states in the past 10 years. More than half believe that Michigan has fallen behind on typical household income, and Smidt says the reality reflects that belief. Michigan is in the bottom third of average household incomes, according to a Bridge Michigan report on data released by the US Census Bureau.
"This shows that the majority are reasonable and share accurate statements but the question really is, why do nearly half of likely voters believe otherwise?" Smidt said.
Voters are also less likely to want – or trust – government services. The majority of likely voters continue to support the state fixing roads, increasing spending on health care coverage and reducing the amount of aid to Israel.
The survey was performed as a multilevel regression and post-stratification poll. Dr. Smidt used model-based estimates of support among 1,383 respondents to account for possible survey imbalance. The results are regularized and calibrated for projection onto a voter-file sample of more than 160,000 registered voters across the state, from which a likely electorate of nearly 100,000 voters is drawn.
To review the full report, click on this link.