Hillary Clinton to Ride Poll Bounces to Michigan

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton is expected to campaign in southeast Michigan Wednesday, both at a public event at a yet-to-be disclosed location and a big-ticket fundraiser in Birmingham, according to media reports.

Clinton’s visit comes two days after Republican standard-bearer Donald Trump makes what’s billed as a major policy speech to the Detroit Economic Club. Michigan is one of several key battleground states where both candidates are expected to concentrate in the last three months before the election.

The Clinton campaign hasn’t officially announced the visit, but both The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press cite sources close to the campaign.

In a surprise turn last spring, Clinton lost the Michigan primary to her chief Democratic rival, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, but the former secretary of state is now leading Trump, 41 percent to 32 percent in Michigan, according to a new poll released Thursday by The Detroit News and WDIV-TV. Clinton has a 9-point lead nationally, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Thursday.

In the Michigan poll, Clinton has what pollster Richard Czuba called a “shocking” lead in the west and southwest areas of the state that are traditionally dominated by Republicans.

“He’s sitting in the cellar right now, and they’re going to have to do something to dramatically turn this around,” said Czuba, president of the Glengariff Group Inc., which conducted the Michigan poll. “If I were a Republican running on this ticket right now, I’d be beyond nervous.”

Both polls showed increasing worry about Trump’s temperament and fitness as commander in chief. In Michigan, 61 percent said the controversial Republican isn’t fit to serve in the Oval Office — a number that jumps to 67 percent among women.

Neither candidate is particularly well-liked, though.

In the NBC/WSJ poll, Clinton made some inroads. She is viewed negatively by 53 percent of voters, an improvement from a 56 percent negative rating in June. Trump is viewed negatively by 61 percent of likely voters.

Clinton hasn’t been in Michigan, a traditionally blue state that hasn’t backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1988, since she was in the state for the a March 6 debate in Flint and some campaign stops in Detroit.

Trump hasn’t been in Michigan since a two-day swing through the state for March 3 debate at the Fox Theatre in Detroit.

Trump’s running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, was in Novi last week, and Clinton’s running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, is opening a campaign office in Grand Rapids Friday.

Image credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr / Creative Commons