State of the State of Public Opinion

“Voters’ perception of the state’s progress and direction has seen a slight positive shift over the past six months,” said Jenell Leonard, owner of MRG, LLC. “There are many issues on the minds of Michigan voters these days, and the Democratic trifecta in Lansing is seeing some traction in addressing party platform issues.”

Direction of the Country Shows Uptick, but Still Overwhelmingly Negative

The voter’s perception of the direction of the country continues to be overwhelmingly negative but has seen a modest upward swing from Fall 2023. Today, 66% believe the country is on the wrong track and only 24% believe the country is headed in the right direction. But these numbers reflect the best outlook of the country since Spring 2021 when Joe Biden first became president.

Not a single geographic group in Michigan believes the country is headed in the right direction. Democrats had the highest “right direction” totals with just 47%. Independents and Republicans remain very negative in their views of the direction of the country.

Biden’s Job Approval Still in the Red

President Biden’s job approval ratings continue to be upside-down, but slightly improved with the most recent poll showing that 57% of Michigan voters disapprove of his performance, with only 36% approving. There was a 5% increase in voters that approved of Biden’s job compared to the Michigan Poll® Fall 2023 results which can be attributed to the President’s democratic base being slightly more supportive.

However, President Biden’s democratic base is not in full support of the job he is doing as 15% of Democrats, 25% of liberals, 31% of African-Americans and 48% of Union members disapprove of the job the President is doing.

President’s Personal Approval Remains Stale

The president’s personal approval ratings have remained stagnant with only 33% sharing a positive feeling toward the president and 56% sharing a negative feeling toward him. These numbers are consistent with the results of the Michigan Poll® Fall 2023.

“There is a slight improvement in the job approval for President Biden. But this primarily comes from Democrats as it has become apparent that we are headed to a Biden vs. Trump rematch” said Tom Shields, Senior Advisor to MRG. “But these are not good numbers for the president as we enter the final election cycle. Only 18% of Independent voters approve of the job he is doing. His base is not overwhelmingly supportive and the voters of Michigan do not trust his ability to turn around the country that they see heading in the wrong direction.”

Presidential Candidates Show Low Personal Approval Ratings

Both President Biden and Donald Trump emerged with identical personal approval ratings of 33%. Biden’s total negative rating was 56%, while Trump’s was slightly less at 53%. Trump’s approval rating remained flat, as the results of the Michigan Poll® Fall 2023 showed Trump’s approval rating at 33% as well. Lastly, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. tallied an approval rating of 25% and a disapproval of 27%, while 29% remained neutral.

Whitmer Job Approval Holds Steady

Governor Whitmer’s job approval received the same amount of support for the third poll in a row with 53% of voters approving of her job performance; those who disapprove of her job performance increased by 1%. In this year’s Michigan Poll® Spring 2024, 38% disapproved of her job performance.

Consistent with October results, the Governor received her highest job approvals from Detroit Metropolitan area voters with strong showings in Wayne and Oakland counties. She also received 60%+ job approval ratings from union members and African Americans. Her highest negative job approval ratings came from Republican and conservative voters and those living in the Traverse City media market (62% disapproval).

Whitmer’s Personal Ratings See Minor Change

Voters’ personal feelings towards the governor have remained nearly the same over the past six months with 46% sharing a positive feeling and 38% sharing a negative feeling. In Fall 2023, 48% of Michigan voters shared a positive feeling and 37% shared a negative feeling.

"The governor continues to resonate and relate with a considerable number of Michigan voters,” said Leonard. “Heading into election season this year, Democrats will undoubtedly have to embrace Governor Whitmer over President Biden to make headway in the presidential election cycle.”

Top Issues

The top three concerns in the state remain the same from the Michigan Poll Fall 2023: economy and jobs, inflation, and politicians and government. The economy and job concerns emerged as the top issue of concern for Michigan voters in Spring 2024 with a total of 34%. The second and third highest issues of concern in the state were high gas prices/high prices/inflation at 29% and politicians/government at 18%, respectively.

“Voters are focused on their pocketbooks this cycle, as there has been minimal relief for the economy and inflation over the past year. This has fueled the concern around the efficiency of our government and its politicians,” said Shields. “To remain relevant in the 2024 electoral conversation, politicians will need to tackle these issues head-on and provide answers. This will prove to be a challenge for many, including candidates that find themselves in tight races.”

The Questions and Results

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