MI Republican voters remain undecided on Senate race

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With three months until Michigan’s Aug. 6 U.S. Senate Primary, Republican voters are largely undecided, however, of the four candidates, former U.S. Representative Mike Rogers has the most support.

A new poll conducted by WOOD TV8, Emerson College Polling and The Hill found that 54% of Michigan Republican primary voters have not committed to a candidate. Rogers leads the race with 32% support, followed by former U.S. Representative Justin Amash with 8% support, businessman Sandy Pensler with 3% support, and Physician Sherry O’Donnell with 2% support.

“Rogers’ support is ten points higher among male voters than female, 37% to 27%, and among voters with a college degree than those without, 38% to 29%,” Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said.

Those polled were also asked if they had a “favorable or unfavorable view” of each candidate. Rogers was seen most favorably, with 59% holding a favorable view of him, Amash stands at 32% favorability, Pensler at 27%, and O’Donnell at 19%.

The most important issue for Michigan Republican primary voters is the economy at 53%, followed by immigration at 17%, threats to democracy at 7%, and housing affordability at 6%.

Voters were asked if they “generally approve or disapprove of the pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses, with 82% saying they disapprove, 7% saying they approve and 12% are not familiar or have no opinion.

The U.S. Senate race is to fill the seat of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, D-Lansing, who is not seeking re-election. Three Democrats are also running for the open seat: Elissa Slotkin, Hill Harper and Nasser Beydoun. 

Emerson College Polling surveyed 545 registered Michigan Republican voters over the phone, email and online to collect the data between April 30 and May 1. The data has a margin of error of plus or minus 4%. WOOD TV8, Emerson College and The Hill have not done a poll about the Democrat U.S. Senate race at this point.