Abortion trumps inflation as most important issue to Michigan voters in gubernatorial race: new poll

Democrats are leading in the Michigan gubernatorial race, as a new poll finds abortion is the top issue voters are considering when deciding which candidate to vote for in November. 

AARP/Fabrizio Ward & Impact Research conducted a poll that discovered abortion tied with inflation and rising prices as the most important issue to Michigan voters, both receiving 13%. The GOP voters were most concerned about inflation and the economy.

When asked what the most important issue is when considering who to vote for in the gubernatorial midterm election, abortion ranked the highest at 19%.

Abortion has grown as a key midterm issue over the past few months, after the Supreme Court ruled in June to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade precedent that protected abortion access for several decades.

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Inflation and rising prices came in as the second most important issue, though it was the top most important to likely Republican voting Michiganders. Jobs and the economy were the third most important issues to voters when considering the two candidates for governor.

Inflation has remained high for several months, rising to 8.5% from the previous year in July. The gross domestic product (GDP) dropped for a second consecutive quarter from April-June, declaring that by definition the economy had entered a technical recession.

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According to the poll, Democrats have a 2-point edge on the generic congressional ballot over Republicans in the Great Lake State.

Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is leading in the Michigan gubernatorial race against Trump-endorsed Republican candidate Tudor Dixon, receiving 51%-46% of overall support. Whitmer ranked higher than her GOP opponent in almost every demographic, excluding Republican voters.

Though more Michigan voters revealed they would be voting to re-elect Whitmer, 55% also said they believe their state is headed in the wrong direction.

The AARP poll found that voters over the age of 50 will make up 60% of Michigan’s midterm election voters this fall. Whitmer received the most support from 50-plus voters, especially Black voters, who prefer her over Dixon 79%-16%.

The poll suggested that Trump-backed Dixon has a slightly higher unfavorable opinion from Michigan voters than favorable, 41%-38%.

Former President Donald Trump received a higher approval rating than President Biden. Trump had a 6-point lead with 47% approval over Biden’s 41% approval rating and 57% disapproval rating among voters in the state.

The AARP/Fabrizio Ward & Impact Research survey was conducted from Aug. 8-14, 2022, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.