Thursday, September 18, 2008

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The U.S. Senate race in Michigan continues to be a runaway. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state finds Senator Carl Levin leading State Representative Jack Hoogendyk 57% to 38%. (See crosstabs.)

In August, the incumbent Democrat led 56% to 36%. Since tracking of the race began in May, Levin has led by 17 points or more in every poll.

Levin has served in the Senate for the past 30 years and has won each of his last three re-election bids with 58% to 60% of the vote. He has not faced a serious election threat since 1984. Levin is currently chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services.

The senator leads his Republican opponent 55% to 36% among voters not affiliated with either party. He also has dominant leads among both men and women.

Favorability ratings for Levin are nearly identical to those a month ago. He is viewed favorably by 61% and unfavorably by 35%. The challenger’s ratings also have changed little over the past month. Hoogendyk’s numbers are 40% favorable, 36% unfavorable, while 24% still have no opinion of him.

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Rasmussen Markets data suggests that Levin has a % chance of winning re-election in November. These results are updated on a 24/7 basis by market participants. It costs nothing to join and add your voice to the collective wisdom.

In other recent news from the Wolverine State, most voters (80%) say they have followed news stories on the downfall of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick for a variety of criminal offenses. The majority (59%) approve of the way Governor Jennifer Granholm handled the situation, which ultimately resulted in Kilpatrick's removal from office. Twenty-two percent (22%) disapprove of Granholm's performance.

Most voters (71%) also don’t believe the legal actions taken against the Detroit mayor were politically motivated, while just 15% believe that they were. Just 11% of white voters say the charges against the African-American mayor were politically motivated, compared to over a third (34%) of black voters who believe it to be true.

Forty-one percent (41%) of voters in Michigan say it is at least somewhat likely Kilpatrick will hold another political office, while 53% say this is unlikely.

Granholm earns good or excellent ratings from 33% of Michigan voters, while 40% say she is doing a poor job as governor.

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