Former police chief leads Whitmer in Michigan's governor race: Poll

A new poll for the Michigan gubernatorial race shows Detroit Police Chief James Craig with a six-point lead over incumbent Gretchen Whitmer.

Released Tuesday, the Trafalgar poll shows 50.4 percent of respondents indicating that they would vote for Craig and 44.4 percent for Whitmer. Only five percent said they were still undecided.

Most notably, 53.4 percent of respondents were Democrats, 35 percent were Republicans, and 11.6 percent identified as Independents. Despite a higher sampling of Democrats in the poll, Craig still beats Whitmer.

Additionally, roughly 81.6 percent of those surveyed were white, 12.6 percent were black, two percent were Hispanic, and 1.5 percent Asian.

The average age ranged from 45-64, constituting 37.9 percent of people polled.

According to The Daily Wire, Craig first announced his run for governor of Michigan in July on Tucker Carlson’s show. During his announcement, he noted his impressive record as Detroit Police Chief during the riot-engulfed summer of 2020.

"The best part, the last eight years here in Detroit, we know what happened last year. You know, when other cities were burning, we know that Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago — but Detroit did not burn," Craig said to Tucker.

Launching just a week ago, Craig will face off other Republican challengers before he runs against Whitmer. Other Republicans in the race include Detroit pastor Ralph Rebandt, activist Garrett Soldano, and conservative television host Tudor Dixon.

During his campaign launch on September 14, Craig’s was disrupted by rowdy protesters chanting anti-police slogans including "No justice, no peace, James Craig is still police" and "Black Lives Matter."

"Michiganders deserve competent, consistent leaders who will always put people before politics," Craig wrote in an email. "I spent 44 years protecting and serving my community, including eight years as chief of police in Detroit, and I’m prepared to lead from the front."