Rogers, Bloomfield Hills' Scott Romney Lead in New U.S. Senate Poll

Both Bloomfield Hills attorney Scott Romney and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers could be Michigan's next U.S senator, if they were running.

Romney would fair very well among the Republicans rumored to be eyeing a run for the seat that will be vacated when Democrat Carl Levin retires, according to a poll released Tuesday. However, the son former Michigan Gov. George Romeny, and brother of Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, told reporters Tuesday that he won't seek the seat.

Romney finished in a statistical tie with U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Brighton, in a recent poll of nearly 1,200 likely GOP voters, a news release from Murray Communications-Portable Insights-Combat Data stated.

Romney garnered 348 votes, good for roughly 30 percent of the total number of participants, the data showed. Rogers, who told the Detroit Free Press he was seriously considering the job after Levin announced he won't seek a seventh term in 2014 last last week, finished with more than 31 percent. The poll had a margin of error of 2.86 percent.

Former Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land finished with about 21 percent, and U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, R-Grand Rapids, received about 12 percent. The firms collaborated on the automated survey of 1,170 likely Republican voters on Monday.

“Obviously the earth is still cooling from Senator Levin’s announcement, and the Republican field is not set. But this poll shows us who begins this race from a relative position of strength and who has a bit of a hill to climb,” said Brian Bellgowan of Combat Data.

Voters in the 11th District — which includes Bloomfield Hills and is now Romney's home district following reapportionment in January — showed 44 percent support for Rogers and roughly 31 percent for Romney. However, the high-profile attorney's name and resources make him a formidable opponent, the pollsters said.

“The Romney name clearly still resonates with Michigan’s Republican primary voters,” said Patrick Murray of Murray Communications. “Over time, as voters become more familiar with the candidates, we’ll see how much of Romney’s support is truly his own, and how much is based on affection for the family and, in particular, for 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.”

In another poll released this week, Romney leads Rogers by a small margin.