LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – The battle for the spot of the be the U.S. Representative for Michigan’s Seventh Congressional District is thought to be a tight one, but a new poll between Elissa Slotkin and Tom Barrett suggests otherwise.
In less than two months before the Nov. 8 General Election, a new poll from “Target Insyght” shows incumbent candidate Elissa Slotkin has a lead over challenger Tom Barrett by 18 percentage points.
The pollster tells 6 News that the margin of error was 4.5% and 500 likely voters were interviewed. With a race that political insiders say should be pretty close, hot topics like a woman’s right to choose, among other things, could be determining factors in Slotkin’s lead.
“We did the poll last week,” Founder and Executive Director of ‘Target Insyght’ said. “And we did Tom Barrett and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, because there’s some talk that this a Republican leaning district, it’s been very competitive, and the expectation was that this would have been a very close race.”
According to the polling group, numbers right now say otherwise. “What we found though is the fact Elissa Slotkin has a substantial lead of 18 points. She’s at 56% and he’s at 38%, and that’s quite unbelievable,” he said.
Sarpolus adds one factor affecting Slotkin’s lead is the topic of abortion rights.
“Well in this district right now, those republican leaning, it’s like nearly 59% support the woman’s right to choose, even republicans at 30% support the woman’s right to choose, and that means 19% of Republicans are voting for Elissa Slotkin,” Sarpolus said.
Controversial topics, he adds, might not be the only reason for her commanding lead, he also points to her known campaign ads in the area.
“Now, when you look at Elissa Slotkin, she’s been advertising in this area now, this would be like her third time. People in Ingham County and Shiawassee and Oakland County, they know her so she’s been media advertising in this district for three cycles now,” he said.
But he said there’s still time for Barrett to turn things around and said that could happen because of outside influences.
“So, if the inflation continues to become an issue or if gas prices go up, or if there’s a mistake Slotkin makes or Gretchen Whitmer makes, this thing could still flip around,” he said.