If Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller chose to run for governor in 2018, a new poll shows that she would start her campaign as the Republican frontrunner, ahead of Attorney General Bill Schuette and Lt. Gov. Brian Calley.
The survey commissioned by the MIRS news service found Miller at 21 percent, Schuette at 18 percent and Calley at 14 percent. The poll of 435 GOP primary voters statewide, conducted by Mitchell Research, found nearly half of the respondents undecided.
Since announcing her retirement from Congress in 2015, Miller has repeatedly brushed aside questions – though not in a Shermanesque manner – about mounting a gubernatorial run. The Harrison Township Republican who took over as public works commissioner in January, was asked in March by Crain’s Detroit Business if there was any chance she’d run for governor in 2018.
“I just got into this job. But who knows, right?” Miller said. “I am very satisfied with where I am because I have a lot of things going, and we’re really doing well here. I know people always ask those questions, but I don’t really see it.”
In fact, in recent weeks Miller has appeared ready to back Calley.
One curiosity in this poll is the way the numbers shifted after respondents were read biographical material on each of the three, including Schuette’s long resume of political service.
According to MIRS, here are the brief bios that preceded the secondary question:
“Brian Calley is a former state representative from Portland in mid-Michigan. He has been lieutenant governor of Michigan under Gov. Snyder for six years. Bill Schuette of Midland, is a former U.S. congressman in Washington, DC, state senator, Michigan Court of Appeals judge, and has been attorney general of Michigan for six years. Candice Miller served eight years as Michigan secretary of state, 14 years as a U.S. congresswoman in Washington, D.C. and is now Macomb County public works commissioner.”
After that information was offered, all three were within the plus-or-minus 4.7 percentage point margin of error — Schuette 23 percent, Miller 20 percent and Calley 19 percent.
Meanwhile, Miller’s strongest ally in Macomb County, the Democratic County Executive Mark Hackel, has been strongly hinting that he will give up his executive post and run for governor next year.
I don’t believe he’ll make the leap. But I also don’t believe he would be floating the idea so openly if he thought there was any chance that Miller was going to toss her hat into the ring.
