Republicans Show Startling Strength In Race For Michigan Governor

By Michael Barone, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Yesterday I noted that Republicans are doing better in polls on the generic ballot question--which party's candidate would you vote for in congressional races--better, Scott Rasmussen tells me, in his polls than they have done since January 2004. Now I see that Republican candidates lead in Bill Ballenger's Inside Michigan Politics poll for governor of Michigan. This is at least a little startling. Barack Obama carried Michigan 57-41 percent and in 2006 Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, ineligible to run in 2010, won her second term in 2006 by a margin of 56-42 percent and Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow was reelected by a margin of 57-41 percent: a pretty clear pattern. But now Democratic Lt. Gov. John Cherry seems to be running behind Republicans like Attorney General Mike Cox and Rep. Pete Hoekstra--with none of the three particularly well known to most Michigan voters.

On Facebook? You can keep up with Thomas Jefferson Street blog postings through Facebook's Networked Blogs.

-- Read more by Michael Barone.

-- Read more from the Thomas Jefferson Street blog.

-- Read more about Michigan.

By Michael Barone