FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan

April 30, 2020

Contact: Sam Inglot, sam@progressmichigan.org

New Poll Shows Support for Real Solutions During COVID-19

Respondents support remote legislative sessions, disapprove of protesters

MICHIGAN – This week, Progress Michigan and Public Policy Polling (PPP) released their monthly Lake Effect Newsletter, which offers insight into public opinion about various political and social issues in Michigan. The poll was conducted by PPP from April 28 and 29 and included 1270 participants who responded by text and phone.

Full results of the poll can be found here. Some of the key findings include:

  • When asked about whom they trust most to handle the COVID-19 crisis, 53 percent answered Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, compared to 15 percent who say they trust the legislature most and 24 percent who trust President Donald Trump the most.
  • Only 25 percent of respondents support the recent anti-stay home protests, while 62 percent oppose them.
  • 62 percent of those polled support efforts to allow for virtual meetings of the state legislature, while only 15 percent oppose.
  • When asked how the state government should make up for the projected $2 billion budget deficit caused by COVID-19, a combined 62 percent answered either ending corporate tax breaks or increasing taxes on the wealthy, 33 percent and 29 percent respectively, while only 16 percent said they’d like cuts to social services and only 4 percent said they would prefer the legislature raise the income tax.
  • 61 percent of those surveyed oppose Republican efforts to strip Governor Whitmer of her emergency powers while only 29 percent support that effort.
  • Democratic candidate Joe Biden holds a 50-42 lead over President Trump, while Sen. Gary Peters leads his Republican challenger John James by a margin of 46-37.

“Once again, the polling shows that Michiganders support Gov. Whitmer’s commonsense, science-based handling of the COVID-19 crisis,” said Lonnie Scott, Executive Director of Progress Michigan. “Operation Gridlock protesters have made a lot of noise, but these numbers make it clear they’re only a very vocal minority of our state. This poll also shows that the public trusts Governor Whitmer more than the Republican legislature or President Trump when it comes to handling COVID-19 and that instead of focusing their efforts on tearing down Governor Whitmer, they should be working to adopt the Democrats’ plan for remote sessions to get to work on the real solutions Michiganians need during this time of crisis.”

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