The Democratic candidates are Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero and Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Andy Dillon, D-Redford. Potential Democratic candidate, state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith, D-Salem Township, opted not to participate in the race for governor on May 10, one day before the filing deadline.

With the primaries and political party conventions slightly more than 11 weeks away, analysts said state residents can expect to see aggressive campaigns from both Republican and Democratic candidates.

Hoekstra currently is in the lead for the Republicans, with about 28-29 percent of the voters, according to polls conducted by Lansing-based polling firm EPIC-MRA. But despite this early lead, Hoekstra is having problems raising money and getting his name out, said Bill Ballenger, the editor and publisher of political newsletter Inside Michigan Politics.

“(Hoekstra) has never really improved his standing in the polls,” Ballenger said. “He’s always hovered around between 25 and 30 percent based entirely in west Michigan. You get over into this area and down in metro Detroit, they don’t know who he is. He’s also having trouble raising money. The problem for Hoekstra is going to be if he can’t spend money in June or July, he’s going to have trouble getting his name out.”

Bouchard, Cox and Snyder all are holding steady behind Hoekstra, each with about a 20 percent backing from voters, according to EPIC-MRA. Of the candidates, Snyder is the only one without political experience, making him the most unpredictable in the race, said Bernie Porn, president of EPIC-MRA.

George, who is considered the race’s underdog, is continuing to search for volunteers and support to promote his campaign, his spokesman Paul Egnatuk said.

It is difficult to know which candidate is ahead between the Democrats after Wheeler Smith dropped out, although Porn said he predicts two-thirds of her supporters will go to Bernero, who is considered more liberal than Dillon.

Both candidates, however, are struggling to make themselves better known throughout the state.
According to EPIC-MRA, Bernero is unknown to 72 percent of the population and Dillon is unknown to 52 percent to 55 percent, making both of them more unrecognized than any of the Republican candidates, apart from the little-known George.

“The major challenge for both of them is to raise money, get their message out in June and July, raise their name ID and their profile,” Ballenger said.

Meeting voters in person is Dillon’s strategy to make himself recognizable in Michigan, Dillon spokesman Ken Coleman said.

“Right now, our major concern is trying to introduce … Speaker Dillon to a statewide audience,” Coleman said. “He’s certainly known in (his) district and he’s certainly known in Lansing, but there are pockets in Michigan that don’t follow state politics.”

Bernero’s spokesperson did not return calls seeking comment.

Spokespeople for most of the candidates said the gubernatorial hopefuls are traveling the state to meet voters and spread their message, and as the primaries approach, Ballenger said he expects all of the campaigns to get more aggressive.

“They’ve already had mysterious, unknown robocalls or attack calls being made against candidates (and) nobody knows for sure where they’re coming from,” Ballenger said.

“If it started 150 days out from the election, you can imagine what it’s going to be like in June or July. I think it’s going to get ugly on both sides.”