Western Michigan University Political Science Professor Peter Wielhouwer says Michigan picked a good spot on the calendar for its Presidential primary. But he says whether that will influence the race for each party’s nomination depends on the results.
Wielhouwer joined WMUK’s Gordon Evans for some pre-primary analysis. He says the spot after Super Tuesday as the main Presidential primary on March 8th has attracted many candidate visits, plus two debates.
The most recent poll from the Detroit Free Press shows Donald Trump with a 10-point lead over his closest challenger. Wielhouwer says polling shows the Republican voters are angry at the system and at elected leaders. He says Trump is appealing to those voters.
Hillary Clinton is a heavy favorite to win the Democratic nomination. Wielhouwer says the “Clinton brand” still plays well in the Democratic Party generally. He says the former Secretary of State is in many ways “the prototypical Democrat.” Wielhouwer says the polling shows that Michigan doesn’t have enough of the types of voters that Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders normally attracts for him to run a competitive campaign.
Wielhouwer says Clinton’s big lead in Michigan polls may lead some Democrats to cast their vote in the Republican primary. He says some could vote for Donald Trump believing he is a weak candidate for the general election.
But Wielhouwer says some voters who would normally cast their ballot in a Democratic party may find Trump’s populism appealing. Wielhouwer says people who feel left behind in the current economy, like people who have worked in manufacturing, could cast a vote for Trump in the Republican primary.