LANSING — A new statewide poll conducted by EPIC▪MRA between April 28 and May 3 offers fresh insights into Michigan voters’ views on key political figures and national issues as the 2026 election cycle heats up. The live-interviewer poll surveyed 600 likely voters, with a margin of error of ±4.0 percentage points.

Trump’s favorability and performance ratings lag

President Trump continues to face deep polarization among Michigan voters. The survey found that 43 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion of Trump, while 50 percent view him unfavorably. Notably, 46 percent described their opinion of him as “very unfavorable.”

Job approval ratings for Trump’s presidency are similarly divided. Only 41 percent rated his overall job performance as “excellent” or “pretty good”, compared to 56 percent who said it was “just fair” or “poor.” When broken down by issue:

• Economy: 38 percent positive, 58 percent negative
• Immigration and the Southern border: Split evenly at 48 percent positive and 48 percent negative
• Inflation and cost of living: 33 percent positive, 62 percent negative
• Russia-Ukraine war: 31 percent positive, 58 percent negative
• Israel’s war on Gaza: 29 percent positive, 55 percent negative

Support for Trump’s tariff policies is also underwhelming, with 52 percent opposing and only 40 percent supporting his trade approach.

Governor Whitmer retains stronger support

In contrast, Governor Whitmer received higher marks from voters. A solid 54 percent of respondents expressed a favorable opinion of the governor, including 35 percent who said “very favorable.” Meanwhile, 38 percent viewed her unfavorably.

When asked to rate her job performance, 52 percent gave a positive rating, with only 25 percent saying “poor” and another 21 percent saying “just fair.”

Issue breakdown and demographics

The poll also asked voters about abortion rights and political ideology:

• Abortion: 57 percent believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, while 15 percent support it only when the mother’s life is at risk or oppose it altogether.
• Ideology: 36 percent identified as conservative, 34 percent moderate and 21 percent liberal.
• Party affiliation: 43 percent aligned with Republicans, 41 percent with Democrats and 12 percent identified as independents.

These results illustrate a closely divided electorate in Michigan, with a high level of engagement on key national and local issues heading into the pivotal 2026 elections. Michigan remains a political battleground.