LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – In the homestretch of the midterm election season, some new polling has emerged that puts Michigan’s GOP gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon within striking distance of
incumbent Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

In both the Cygnal poll and the Emerson College Polling survey that were both conducted the day before, the day of and the day after the first gubernatorial debate, the results show that Dixon is only five percentage points away from Whitmer in the race to be Michigan’s next governor.

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The Cygnal poll, which was released Tuesday, polled 640 likely voters in Michigan with Whitmer leading Dixon 49% to 44% – with a margin of error of 3.86 percentage points. It also showed that almost 20% of Michigan voters had voted absentee already and more than 1/3 of those aged 65 and older have also done so.

The Emerson College Polling survey gives the same lead to Whitmer at 49% to 44% with Spencer Kimball, Executive Director of Emerson College Polling saying, “There is a distinct gender divide between men and women voters in Michigan” with Whitmer holding a 16-point lead with women voters and Dixon holding a 7-point lead with male
voters. The Emerson poll consisted of 580 very likely general election voters with a margin of error of four percentage points.

With margin of errors in both polls being approximately 4%, this race could be considered almost a dead heat – which is what an Insider/Advantage poll shows. Pollsters conducted the survey two days before the debate which has both candidates tied at 44% each.

These are unusual developments when you look at the overwhelming cash advantage that Whitmer has over Dixon in donations and ad spending as well as outside PAC support.

A MIRS article reports Dixon has spent only $51,534 out of her candidate committee on ads while Gov. Whitmer has spent more than $13.2 million according to ad spending tracked by AdImpact.

Add to that approximately $44.7 million more that was spent by groups like the Democratic Governors Association to support Whitmer’s re-election campaign. That’s an ad spend for Whitmer of more than $57 million with little return, resulting in tightening polls and only a five percentage point advantage over her challenger.

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The tightening polls could be the reason that former President Barack Obama has scheduled a campaign stop at the end of October to rally with Whitmer and other Democratic candidates.