A poll released this week shows Land slipping five points below Peters, giving up a slight lead from last December. The numbers show Peters ahead with 41 percent of the vote compared to Land’s 36. The numbers are based on results from 825 Michigan voters gathered by Public Policy Polling from April 3-6.
Voters are not nearly as pessimistic about the Affordable Care Act as they were several months ago, firm spokesman Dustin Ingalls said. Voter’s perception of the Affordable Care Act is lowering Land’s popularity ratings as they shift in favor of Peters.
“Land wasn’t just popular in December; she’s been relatively popular pretty much every time we’ve polled her, now and in the past,” Ingalls said. “She’s now in the negative territory, so if she can turn that back around, she can actually maybe make this a really close race and maybe even win it.”
The future will remain bright for Peters if his favorability remains stable, Ingalls said. Peters has gained support from independent voters who once supported Land.
“If Peters can continue to raise his name ID and the numbers for Obamacare at least stabilize, if not continue to improve, then the trajectory certainly seems to be good for Peters,” Ingalls said.
According to results from last December, 63 percent of voters felt the rollout of Obamacare was unsuccessful, whereas only 52 percent ruled it unsuccessful in the most recent poll.
Peters spokesperson Haley Morris said in an email the election will come down to a choice about the future for Michigan’s middle class.
“(Peters) is deeply committed to finding practical, common-sense solutions so that we can create good jobs, rebuild our middle class, reinvest in our economy, and ensure that our seniors can retire with dignity,” Morris said in an email.
Michigan’s new senator, who will be elected in November, will replace Democratic Sen. Carl Levin. Levin has been serving in the Senate since 1979 and is the longest-serving senator in Michigan’s history.
