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October 20–23, 2026

Michigan

Benson leads James for governor

Poll of 2,696 likely voters in Michigan · Released October 25, 2026 · Sponsored by A Fight Worth Having (super PAC, FEC C00933085); conducted by RedBox Research, AFWH's polling unit

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Races

Governor

Benson +5.8

Jocelyn Benson
(D)
48.6%
John James
(R)
42.8%

Leads, within the margin of error.

U.S. Senate

El-Sayed +4.8

Abdul El-Sayed
(D)
48.9%
Mike Rogers
(R)
44.0%

Narrow lead, within the margin of error.

All candidates

Governor

Jocelyn Benson (D)48.6%
John James (R)42.8%
Undecided3.8%
Anthony Hudson (L)1.8%
Prefer not to answer0.9%
Someone else1.1%
Douglas Campbell (G)0.5%
Did not vote in this race0.4%
Donna Brandenburg, U.S. Taxpayers Party0.1%

U.S. Senate

Abdul El-Sayed (D)48.9%
Mike Rogers (R)44.0%
Undecided2.9%
Someone else1.4%
Prefer not to answer0.9%
Lydia Christensen (L)1.0%
Tim Long, U.S. Taxpayers Party0.7%
Did not vote in this race0.1%
Douglas P. Marsh (G)0.1%
Walter P. Kristy, Natural Law Party in Michigan0.0%

Early voters were asked how they voted. Shares may not add to 100 because of rounding. A dash means the release doesn't report that answer.

Leaders and Congress

Hakeem Jeffries

Job approvalNet −27 · Democrats: Net +42

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way Hakeem Jeffries is handling his job as House Democratic Leader?”

All likely voters

Approve 31.4%Disapprove 58.0%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 65.9%Disapprove 23.7%Not sure

Should he become Speaker?Someone else +33 · Democrats: Someone else +4

“If Democrats win control of the House of Representatives in the 2026 election, should Hakeem Jeffries become Speaker of the House, or should Democrats choose someone else?”

All likely voters

Jeffries 17.6%Someone else 50.2%Doesn't matter or not sure

Democrats only

Jeffries 36.1%Someone else 40.3%Doesn't matter or not sure

Chuck Schumer

Job approvalNet −40 · Democrats: Net +23

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way Chuck Schumer is handling his job as Senate Democratic Leader?”

All likely voters

Approve 25.9%Disapprove 65.9%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 57.0%Disapprove 34.0%Not sure

Should he become Majority Leader?Someone else +56 · Democrats: Someone else +42

“If Democrats win control of the Senate in the 2026 election, should Chuck Schumer become Majority Leader, or should Democrats choose someone else?”

All likely voters

Schumer 9.7%Someone else 65.7%Doesn't matter or not sure

Democrats only

Schumer 20.0%Someone else 62.5%Doesn't matter or not sure

Donald Trump

Job approvalNet −17 · Democrats: Net −92

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president?”

All likely voters

Approve 41.0%Disapprove 57.6%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 3.1%Disapprove 95.6%Not sure

Democrats in Congress

Job approvalNet −23 · Democrats: Net +61

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job?”

All likely voters

Approve 36.8%Disapprove 59.6%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 79.0%Disapprove 18.3%Not sure

Republicans in Congress

Job approvalNet −20 · Democrats: Net −90

“Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Republicans in Congress are handling their job?”

All likely voters

Approve 38.7%Disapprove 58.5%Not sure

Democrats only

Approve 3.9%Disapprove 93.8%Not sure

All likely voters: 2,696, margin of error ±3.5 points. Democrats only: the 902 who call themselves Democrats on the party question, whatever their voter-file registration. A smaller group has a larger margin of error. All our polls

Views of institutions

Health insurance companies

FavorabilityNet −55

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of health insurance companies?”

All likely voters

Favorable 20.0%Unfavorable 74.6%Not familiar or no opinion

Drug companies

FavorabilityNet −64

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of drug companies?”

All likely voters

Favorable 15.1%Unfavorable 78.8%Not familiar or no opinion

Electric utility companies

FavorabilityNet −50

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of electric utility companies?”

All likely voters

Favorable 21.4%Unfavorable 71.0%Not familiar or no opinion

Large companies that own rental homes and apartments

FavorabilityNet −64

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of large companies that own rental homes and apartments?”

All likely voters

Favorable 10.8%Unfavorable 74.9%Not familiar or no opinion

Large banks

FavorabilityNet −39

“Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of large banks?”

All likely voters

Favorable 22.6%Unfavorable 62.0%Not familiar or no opinion

All likely voters: 2,696, margin of error ±3.5 points. Favorable and unfavorable each add “strongly” and “somewhat.”

Michigan poll: El-Sayed has a narrow lead over Rogers for Senate

Abdul El-Sayed has a narrow lead over Mike Rogers for Senate in Michigan, 48.9% to 44.0%, in our poll of 2,696 likely voters, taken October 20 to 23. That's within the margin of error. The poll's margin of error is ±3.5 points. Undecided and other answers: 7.1%.

Jocelyn Benson leads John James for governor, 48.6% to 42.8%, within the margin of error.

Independents favor El-Sayed, 50.5% to 35.8%. Independents are respondents who did not call themselves a Democrat or a Republican on the party question (they said independent, another party or don't know), whatever their voter-file registration. Women favor El-Sayed, 53.3% to 40.8%. Men favor Rogers, 49.3% to 43.4%.

50.2% of likely voters want someone other than Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker if Democrats win the House; 17.6% want Jeffries. Among Democrats, 40.3% want someone else. His job approval is underwater: 58.0% disapprove and 31.4% approve.

65.7% of likely voters want someone other than Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader if Democrats win the Senate; 9.7% want Schumer. Among Democrats, 62.5% want someone else. His job approval is underwater: 65.9% disapprove and 25.9% approve.

Results by group

How each group answered every question: gender, age, race, education, party, ideology, 2024 vote, turnout and geography.

Open the crosstabs

Groups of fewer than 50 interviews are not shown; 50 to 99 are marked for caution.

Likely voters
2,696
includes our MI-04, MI-07 and MI-10 polls
Margin of error
±3.5 points
includes the design effect, 3.35
Field dates
Oct 20–23, 2026
first invitation to last interview, Eastern time
Mode
Text message invitation to a self-administered web survey
Sponsor
A Fight Worth Having
super PAC, FEC C00933085

Disclosure. Sponsored by A Fight Worth Having (super PAC, FEC C00933085); conducted by RedBox Research, AFWH's polling unit. Text message invitation to a self-administered web survey. Michigan statewide likely voters, n = 2,696, margin of error ±3.5 points including the design effect.

Full methodology · How we poll

Photos. Cropped, cut out from their backgrounds and tinted for this page.