(WXMI) — A recent poll shows Michigan voters over the age of 50 will be crucial in determining the outcomes in this year’s midterm elections.
AARP Michigan notes the age group comprised about 60% of voters in Michigan’s 2018 midterm.
A total of 850 voters aged 50 and older were surveyed in the study, according to Fabrizio Ward Partner Bob Ward.
In the race for governor, Tudor Dixon and incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are about neck and neck among 50+ voters, Ward explains. He says Whitmer has a slight five-point lead among the 18+ crowd.
We’re told there is a wide gender gap among 50+ voters with 27 points separating women in favor of Governor Whitmer from men.
“When you look at women over the age of 50, it's a huge gap,” says Impact Research Partner Matt Hogan. “You know, Whitmer is has a net favorable rating of 13 points, while Dixon is underwater with those voters by 17 points. So you've got a 30-point popularity gap among that very key constituency.”
Ward adds 60% of voters without college degrees favor Dixon; meanwhile, Whitmer has a 20-point lead among voters with degrees.
A quarter of voters do not have an opinion of Dixon but can make up ground among 20% of Republicans who do not currently view her favorably, according to Ward.
Ward goes on to address how motivated the 50+ demographic is to vote in November, saying 88% answered "10" on a 10-point motivation scale.
“If you look at the voters under 50, 72% … it's high,” says Ward. “But it's, you know, it's still a 16-point gap when compared to voters 50-plus.”
Among issues most important to voters 50 and over, abortion and inflation top the list.
Ward says 51% plan to vote in person while 41% will vote absentee.
The poll also looked at “persuadable” voters, who Ward describes as being either undecided or did not pledge their vote to Whitmer or Dixon. Ward says persuadables make up 18% of those polled in the 50+ crowd. He explains 61% of persuadable voters are independent compared to 34% among all 50+ voters, telling us it’s unusual because they usually lean more conservative or moderate.
“Given the lack of definition of Dixon, that's probably not surprising,” Ward says. “You can see that Whitmer has a much larger definite vote share.”
Overall, the election is somewhat in Governor Whitmer’s favor, according to Hogan, who says the governor is popular among independent voters and has nine points more than needed among that demographic.
View the survey results in detail here.
AARP also released survey results taken from Black voters 50 and over. View those results here.
