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Turnout | 55.4% ![]() | |||||||||||||||||||
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Whitmer: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Schuette: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 40–50% No data | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Elections in Michigan |
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The 2018 Michigan gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Michigan, concurrently with the election of Michigan's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.
Incumbent Republican Governor Rick Snyder and Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley were term-limited and were unable to seek a third term in office. [2] The filing deadline was April 24, 2018. The Republican, Democratic and Libertarian parties chose their nominees in a partisan primary on August 7, 2018. [3] 2018 was the first year the Libertarian Party held a gubernatorial primary alongside the two other major parties in the state of Michigan. [4] The Working Class Party, U.S. Taxpayers Party, Green Party and Natural Law Party chose their nominees at state party conventions. [5]
The race was not as close as expected, with Democrat Gretchen Whitmer was elected with 53.3% of the vote to Republican Bill Schuette's 43.8%. [6] Schuette performed best in more sparsely populated areas, while Whitmer was supported by large margins in large and medium cities, such as Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Lansing. Whitmer also performed well in the Detroit suburbs. Whitmer carried former Republican stronghold Kent County (location of her native Grand Rapids), the first Democratic candidate to do so since James Blanchard's landslide 1986 reelection. Democrats swept the statewide races by also holding onto the Senate seat that was up for re-election, and picking up the positions of secretary of state and attorney general. They also captured every state university trustee seat that was up for election as well as the State Board of Education. [7]
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Host network | Date | Link(s) | Participants | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bill Schuette | Patrick Colbeck | Brian Calley | Jim Hines | |||||
WOOD-TV | May 9, 2018 | [52] | Invited | Invited | Invited | Invited | ||
WDIV-TV | June 28, 2018 | Invited | Invited | Invited | Invited |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brian Calley | Patrick Colbeck | Jim Hines | Bill Schuette | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell Research [53] | July 30, 2018 | 413 | ± 5.0% | 18% | 9% | 10% | 40% | – | 23% |
EPIC-MRA [54] | July 21–22, 2018 | 1,045 | ± 3.1% | 24% | 11% | 8% | 42% | – | 15% |
Emerson College [55] | July 19–21, 2018 | 202 | ± 7.3% | 13% | 7% | 9% | 35% | – | 36% |
Marist College [56] | July 15–19, 2018 | 337 | ± 6.3% | 26% | 11% | – | 33% | 1% | 30% |
JMC Analytics [57] | July 5–12, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 17% | 10% | 4% | 25% | – | 45% |
Target-Insyght [58] | June 24–26, 2018 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 16% | 8% | 4% | 45% | – | 21% |
NMB Research (R-Better Jobs PAC) [59] | June 18–21, 2018 | – | – | 23% | – | – | 45% | – | 29% |
Public Opinion Strategies (R-Schuette) [60] | May 22–24, 2018 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 19% | 6% | 1% | 42% | – | – |
Public Opinion Strategies (R-Schuette) [61] | April 29 – May 1, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 20% | 6% | 2% | 42% | – | – |
Glengariff Group [62] | April 19–21, 2018 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 23% | 4% | 1% | 36% | 0% [63] | 34% |
Denno Research [64] | April 2–3, 2018 | 500 | ± 4.0% | 13% | 4% | 1% | 23% | – | 59% |
Strategic National (R) [65] | March 19–20, 2018 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 18% | 7% | 3% | 27% | – | 45% |
Marketing Resource Group [66] | March 13–17, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 13% | 2% | 2% | 29% | – | 54% |
Public Opinion Strategies (R-Schuette) [67] | February 10–13, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.4% | 15% | 5% | 2% | 42% | – | – |
Strategic National (R) [68] | December 16–17, 2017 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 19% | 5% | 2% | 30% | – | 44% |
Target-Insyght [69] | November 1–6, 2017 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 14% | <5% | <5% | 38% | – | – |
Mitchell Research [70] | September 21–24, 2017 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 13% | – | – | 52% | – | 36% |
Marketing Resource Group [71] | September 13–18, 2017 | 216 | ± 4.0% | 13% | 3% | 3% | 33% | – | 48% |
Target-Insyght [72] | July 25–27, 2017 | 344 | ± 5.4% | 14% | 4% | 1% | 42% | – | 39% |
Marketing Resource Group [73] | May 8–11, 2017 | 216 | ± 4.0% | 11% | – | 7% | 32% | – | 51% |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brian Calley | Jim Hines | Arlan Meekhof | Candice Miller | Bill Schuette | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mitchell Research [74] | May 31, 2017 | 435 | ± 4.7% | 14% | 1% | – | 21% | 18% | 46% |
Target-Insyght [75] | February 2–4, 2016 | 400 | ± 5% | 11% | – | 3% | 20% | 21% | 45% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Bill Schuette | 501,959 | 50.7 | |
Republican | Brian Calley | 249,185 | 25.2 | |
Republican | Patrick Colbeck | 129,646 | 13.1 | |
Republican | Jim Hines | 108,735 | 11.0 | |
Total votes | 989,525 | 100.0 |
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Host network | Date | Participants | ||||
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Abdul El-Sayed | Shri Thanedar | Gretchen Whitmer | ||||
WOOD-TV | June 20, 2018 | Invited | Invited | Invited | ||
WDIV-TV | July 19, 2018 | Invited | Invited | Invited |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Cobbs | Abdul El-Sayed | Shri Thanedar | Gretchen Whitmer | Other | Undecided |
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EPIC-MRA [127] | July 21–22, 2018 | 1,054 | ± 3.1% | – | 19% | 22% | 49% | – | 10% |
Change Research (D-El-Sayed) [128] | July 20–21, 2018 | 1,503 | – | – | 27% | 15% | 33% | – | 24% |
Emerson College [129] | July 19–21, 2018 | 282 | ± 6.4% | – | 12% | 17% | 39% | – | 31% |
Marist College [56] | July 15–19, 2018 | 442 | ± 5.5% | – | 22% | 27% | 31% | <1% | 20% |
Target-Insyght [58] | June 24–26, 2018 | 400 | ± 5.0% | – | 17% | 19% | 40% | 2% | 22% |
Glengariff Group [130] | April 20–22, 2018 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 3% | 7% | 30% | 26% | – | 35% |
Denno Research [131] | April 6–7, 2018 | 500 | ± 4.0% | 2% | 2% | 15% | 17% | – | 63% |
Marketing Resource Group [66] | March 13–17, 2018 | 233 | ± 6.4% | 3% | 10% | 21% | 18% | – | 48% |
Target-Insyght [132] | March 6–8, 2018 | 500 | ± 4.5% | 4% | 6% | 20% | 34% | 3% | 33% |
EPIC-MRA (D-Thanedar) [133] | February 17–22, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 3% | 8% | 24% | 34% | – | 31% |
Target-Insyght [69] | November 1–6, 2017 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 4% | 13% | 2% | 45% | 8% | 28% |
Marketing Resource Group [71] | September 13–18, 2017 | 255 | ± 4.0% | 8% | 4% | 3% | 27% | – | 58% |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Mike Duggan | Abdul El-Sayed | Geoffrey Fieger | Mark Hackel | Dan Kildee | Andy Levin | Shri Thanedar | Gretchen Whitmer | Undecided |
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Target-Insyght [69] | November 1–6, 2017 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 29% | – | – | – | – | – | – | 43% | – |
– | – | 28% | – | – | – | – | 41% | – | ||||
– | – | – | – | – | 19% | – | 42% | – | ||||
Target-Insyght [75] | February 2–4, 2016 | 400 | ± 5% | 20% | – | – | 9% | 12% | – | – | 16% | 43% |
Target-Insyght [72] | July 25, 2017 | 377 | ± 5.4% | – | 4% | 35% | – | – | – | 3% | 35% | – |
Marketing Resource Group [73] | May 8–11, 2017 | 255 | ± 4.0% | – | 9% | 26% | – | – | – | – | 24% | 41% |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Gretchen Whitmer | 588,436 | 52.0 | |
Democratic | Abdul El-Sayed | 342,179 | 30.2 | |
Democratic | Shri Thanedar | 200,645 | 17.7 | |
Total votes | 1,131,447 | 100.0 |
The Libertarian Party is one of three parties that have a primary in Michigan. [134]
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Host network | Date | Participants | |||
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Bill Gelineau | John Tatar | ||||
WOOD-TV [136] | July 15, 2018 | Invited | Invited | ||
WJBK-TV [137] | July 22, 2018 | Invited | Invited |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Libertarian | Bill Gelineau | 4,034 | 57.8 | |
Libertarian | John Tatar | 2,941 | 42.2 | |
Total votes | 6,975 | 100.0 |
The Green Party chose candidates for the 2018 ballot at its state convention on May 5, 2018, at the University of Michigan-Flint. [138]
Source | Ranking | As of |
---|---|---|
The Cook Political Report [140] | Lean D (flip) | October 26, 2018 |
The Washington Post [141] | Lean D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
FiveThirtyEight [142] | Likely D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
Rothenberg Political Report [143] | Lean D (flip) | November 1, 2018 |
Sabato's Crystal Ball [144] | Likely D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
RealClearPolitics [145] | Lean D (flip) | November 4, 2018 |
Daily Kos [146] | Likely D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
Fox News [147] [a] | Likely D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
Politico [148] | Likely D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
Governing [149] | Lean D (flip) | November 5, 2018 |
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![]() | Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. Updates on reimplementing the Graph extension, which will be known as the Chart extension, can be found on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Schuette (R) | Gretchen Whitmer (D) | Bill Gelineau (L) | Other | Undecided |
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Mitchell Research [203] | November 5, 2018 | 827 | ± 3.4% | 41% | 48% | – | 5% | 6% |
Mitchell Research [204] | November 4, 2018 | 701 | ± 3.7% | 40% | 54% | – | 1% | 1% |
Change Research [205] | November 2–4, 2018 | 880 | – | 43% | 51% | 2% | 3% [206] | – |
Research Co. [207] | November 1–3, 2018 | 450 | ± 4.6% | 43% | 47% | – | 1% | 9% |
Glengariff Group [208] | October 25–27, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 50% | 2% | 2% [209] | 9% |
Emerson College [210] | October 24–26, 2018 | 822 | ± 3.6% | 41% | 52% | – | 3% | 4% |
Mitchell Research [211] | October 25, 2018 | 400 | ± 5.0% | 43% | 48% | – | 4% | 4% |
Target-Insyght [212] | October 22–24, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.0% | 44% | 48% | 1% | 4% [213] | 4% |
EPIC-MRA [214] | October 18–23, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 41% | 46% | 3% | 3% | 7% |
Michigan State University [215] | October 13–22, 2018 | 169 | – | 39% | 47% | – | – | – |
ALG Research (D) [216] [A] | October 15–21, 2018 | 906 | ± 3.3% | 36% | 47% | 4% | 6% [217] | 11% |
38% | 48% | – | – | 13% | ||||
Marketing Resource Group [218] | October 14–18, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 36% | 50% | 2% | 4% | 7% |
ALG Research (D) [219] [A] | October 8–14, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 36% | 46% | 3% | 2% [220] | 13% |
Mitchell Research [221] | September 30 – October 7, 2018 | 654 | ± 3.8% | 38% | 46% | – | 6% | 10% |
Glengariff Group [222] | September 30 – October 2, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 35% | 47% | – | 5% | 13% |
ALG Research (D) [219] [A] | September 24–30, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 37% | 49% | 2% | 2% [220] | 10% |
EPIC-MRA [223] | September 21–25, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 37% | 45% | 2% | 5% | 11% |
Ipsos [224] | September 14–24, 2018 | 1,150 | ± 3.0% | 39% | 52% | – | 4% | 6% |
Target-Insyght [225] | September 10–14, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.0% | 41% | 50% | – | – | – |
Mitchell Research [226] | September 12–13, 2018 | 1,009 | ± 3.0% | 38% | 48% | – | 5% | 9% |
ALG Research (D) [216] [A] | September 8–13, 2018 | 798 | ± 3.5% | 38% | 45% | 3% | 3% [220] | 11% |
Strategic National (R) [227] | September 8–9, 2018 | 1,000 | ± 3.1% | 39% | 49% | – | – | 12% |
Glengariff Group [228] | September 5–7, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 36% | 50% | 2% | 4% [229] | 10% |
Gravis Marketing [230] | August 14–16, 2018 | 647 | ± 3.9% | 37% | 52% | – | – | 11% |
Strategic National (R) [231] | August 13–14, 2018 | 700 | ± 3.7% | 36% | 45% | – | 2% | 17% |
Emerson College [232] | July 19–21, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.3% | 36% | 43% | – | 9% | 12% |
Marist College [56] | July 15–19, 2018 | 886 | ± 3.9% | 38% | 47% | – | 1% | 14% |
Target-Insyght [233] | June 24–26, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.0% | 37% | 42% | – | – | 20% |
NMB Research (R) [234] | June 18–21, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 39% | 40% | – | – | 20% |
EPIC-MRA [235] | April 30 – May 3, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 43% | – | – | 19% |
Glengariff Group [236] | January 16–19, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 33% | 40% | – | – | 25% |
Michigan State University [237] | September 14, 2017 – January 18, 2018 | 963 | ± 3.2% | 35% | 41% | – | – | 24% |
EPIC-MRA [238] | December 9–13, 2017 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 35% | – | – | 27% |
Target-Insyght [69] | November 1–6, 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.6% | 40% | 41% | – | – | 19% |
EPIC-MRA [239] | August 27 – September 1, 2017 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 37% | 37% | – | – | 26% |
with Bill Schuette and Abdul El-Sayed
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Schuette (R) | Abdul El-Sayed (D) | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emerson College [240] | July 19–21, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.3% | 38% | 33% | 12% | 17% |
Glengariff Group [236] | January 16–19, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 34% | – | 27% |
with Bill Schuette and Shri Thanedar
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Schuette (R) | Shri Thanedar (D) | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emerson College [241] | July 19–21, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.3% | 35% | 38% | 12% | 15% |
Target-Insyght [233] | June 24–26, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.0% | 37% | 40% | – | 22% |
NMB Research (R-Better Jobs PAC) [59] | June 18–21, 2018 | 800 | ± 3.5% | 40% | 40% | – | 19% |
EPIC-MRA [235] | April 30 – May 3, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.0% | 38% | 44% | – | 18% |
with Brian Calley and Gretchen Whitmer
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brian Calley (R) | Gretchen Whitmer (D) | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emerson College [242] | July 19–21, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.3% | 33% | 44% | 8% | 16% |
Michigan State University [237] | September 14, 2017 – January 18, 2018 | 963 | ± 3.2% | 34% | 42% | – | 24% |
with Brian Calley and Shri Thanedar
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Brian Calley (R) | Shri Thanedar (D) | Other | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emerson College [243] | July 19–21, 2018 | 600 | ± 4.3% | 38% | 36% | 12% | 14% |
with Bill Schuette and Geoffrey Fieger
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Schuette (R) | Geoffrey Fieger (D) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Target-Insyght [69] | November 1–6, 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.6% | 42% | 35% | 23% |
EPIC-MRA [239] | August 27 – September 1, 2017 | 600 | ± 4% | 43% | 33% | 24% |
with Bill Schuette and Mike Duggan
Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Bill Schuette (R) | Mike Duggan (D) | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Target-Insyght [69] | November 1–6, 2017 | 1,000 | ± 3.6% | 32% | 47% | 21% |
Campaign finance reports as of August 27, 2018 | |||
---|---|---|---|
Candidate (party) | Total receipts | Total disbursements | Cash on hand |
Gretchen Whitmer (D) | $7,134,218.66 | $5,599,850.57 | $1,534,368.09 |
Bill Schuette (R) | $6,175,889.09 | $4,741,577.63 | $1,434,311.46 |
Bill Gelineau (L) | $54,785.88 | $51,267.71 | $3,518.17 |
Source: Michigan Department of State [244] |
Two televised debates between Schuette and Whitmer were scheduled. The first debate was held on Friday, October 12, and hosted by Grand Rapids television station WOOD-TV. [245] [246] That debate mainly concentrated on issues and there were no surprises or major errors from either candidate. [247] The second debate was hosted by Detroit television station WDIV and was held on Wednesday, October 24. [248] The two again clashed on various issues, [249] but Schuette made a gaffe when he mixed up Whitmer's name with that of former governor Jennifer Granholm. [250] [251]
While Whitmer's Democratic primary opponents publicly endorsed Whitmer in the general election, [252] Republican nominee Schuette left the party split after the acrimonious battle with lieutenant governor Calley, with outgoing governor Rick Snyder refusing to endorse Schuette. [202] Schuette also tried to hide his endorsement by Donald Trump from the primary in the general election. [253] [254] His actions as attorney general also came back to haunt him. [255] [256] Whitmer held consistent leads in polls over Schuette over the entire year.
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Gretchen Whitmer | 2,266,193 | 53.31% | +6.45% | |
Republican | Bill Schuette | 1,859,534 | 43.75% | −7.17% | |
Libertarian | Bill Gelineau | 56,606 | 1.33% | +0.20% | |
Constitution | Todd Schleiger | 29,219 | 0.69% | +0.08% | |
Green | Jennifer Kurland | 28,799 | 0.68% | +0.21% | |
Natural Law | Keith Butkovich | 10,202 | 0.24% | N/A | |
Write-in | 32 | 0.00% | 0.00% | ||
Total votes | 4,250,585 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
Democratic gain from Republican |
Whitmer won 7 of Michigan's 14 congressional districts. [257] The seven districts she won all elected Democrats to Congress, and the seven that Schuette won all elected Republicans, though he won the district that elected Justin Amash by a very narrow margin of 0.4% and the district that elected Fred Upton by an even thinner 0.2%.
District | Schuette | Whitmer | Representative |
---|---|---|---|
1st | 53% | 44% | Jack Bergman |
2nd | 52% | 43% | Bill Huizenga |
3rd | 48.6% | 48.2% | Justin Amash |
4th | 55% | 42% | John Moolenaar |
5th | 40% | 57% | Dan Kildee |
6th | 48.4% | 48.2% | Fred Upton |
7th | 51% | 46% | Tim Walberg |
8th | 46% | 51% | Mike Bishop |
Elissa Slotkin | |||
9th | 38% | 59% | Sander Levin |
Andy Levin | |||
10th | 56% | 41% | |
Paul Mitchell | |||
11th | 46% | 52% | Dave Trott |
Haley Stevens | |||
12th | 30% | 67% | Debbie Dingell |
13th | 16% | 81% | Brenda Jones |
Rashida Tlaib | |||
14th | 18% | 80% | Brenda Lawrence |
Partisan clients
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(help)...the National Rifle Association's Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) today endorsed Bill Schuette for governor of Michigan.
Official campaign websites