Poll: Gretchen Whitmer Approval Falls to 48%

A poll of registered Michigan voters found Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s (D) approval has fallen below 50 percent.

The survey, conducted by left-leaning Public Policy Polling July 5-6, shows the Democrat governor’s approval declined to 48 percent. Forty percent of respondents said they “strongly disapprove” of Whitmer’s job performance.

President Joe Biden slightly outpaces Whitmer. Fifty-two percent of those surveyed said they approve of Biden’s job performance, while 46 percent said they did not.

The poll indicated state Democrats will likely campaign on the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and the desired investigation into it.

For example, one question said:

New video footage that allegedly shows Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley at the U.S. Capitol during the January 6th insurrection has recently emerged. If a candidate for public office participated in the Capitol insurrection or encouraged others to attend, would that make you more likely or less likely to support that candidate, or does it not make a difference?

According to the poll, 15 percent of respondents said they were “more likely” to vote for such a candidate, while 54 percent said they were “less likely.”

A June poll found Whitmer’s job approval was 50 percent shortly after a series of scandals emerged, including secretly flying on a private jet to Florida and being caught visiting a dive bar, violating her own coronavirus orders.

The new numbers also come after another June poll said Whitmer was losing the 2022 general election to a generic Republican.

Just 40.8 percent said Whitmer deserves to be reelected, while 55.5 percent said it is “time for someone new.”

As for that “someone new,” respondents would vote for a “generic Republican” over Whitmer, 52.2 percent to 40.8 percent. The survey did not test individual declared or potential candidates against the incumbent governor.

While 30.2 percent of respondents said they are Democrat and 31.2 percent identified as independent, 36.8 percent said they are Republican.

Cygnal said their survey “is based on a projected turnout model inline with historical midterm election voter trends.”

“While most Governors in the country – regardless of party affiliation – came out of the pandemic with strong marks for their leadership, Governor Whitmer appears to have used it as an opportunity to make voters like her less,” Cygnal CEO Brent Buchanan said in a news release.

“Heck, only 41 percent believe Whitmer should be re-elected. That’s a rough place to be seventeen months from Election Day.”

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.