Poll: Bush leads Clinton in Michigan

GOP presidential candidate Jeb Bush leads Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton in Michigan, according to a new Free Press/WXYZ-TV poll. 

Bush, a former Florida governor, is supported by 45 percent of Michigan voters, leading Clinton by 5 points. That’s an 8-point swing from June, when the same poll found Clinton leading Bush.

{mosads}Meanwhile, the former secretary of State edges out GOP front-runner Donald Trump by 2 points in the poll, 44 percent to 42 percent.

Michigan has been a reliable state for Democrats in presidential elections, so the results are likely to raise eyebrows. No Republican presidential candidate has won Michigan since 1988.

“For a state that is assumed to be a winning state for the Democrats, as it has been for the last several elections, to be trailing Jeb Bush by five points suggests that something is going on,” said Bernie Porn, president of Lansing-based EPIC-MRA that conducted the poll.

About 15 percent of voters in the state are undecided in match-ups between Clinton and either Republican, according to the poll.

A majority of those surveyed, 55 percent, viewed Clinton unfavorably, compared to 32 percent who viewed her favorably. Independents surveyed viewed her unfavorably 63 percent to 18 percent.

The survey of 600 likely Michigan voters was conducted Aug. 18-22 via telephone with a margin of error of 4 points.