By Gretchen Millich, Emily Fox
Lansing, MI – Political analyst Bill Ballenger says a recent poll shows Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero has surged ahead in the democratic gubernatorial primary race.
Ballenger says, "I'm basically calling the election for Bernero right now."
Based on the poll, Bernero has a nearly 14 per cent lead over state house speaker Andy Dillon. More than 42 percent of the electorate was still undecided.
Ballenger also says Tim Walberg has a roughly three to one lead over Brian Rooney in the Republican primary in the 7th congressional district. Ballenger says that's a surprise, because many see this as a very tight race between the two frontrunners.
"I think Walberg's big advantage from the very start has been name ID. People know who Tim Walberg is. This is the fourth straight time he's run for this office," he says.
Ballenger says that could change before the primary, because about a third of voters are still undecided. The poll showed the other candidate, Marvin Carlson, running a distant third.
The polls were conducted Monday by Practical Political Consulting of East Lansing.