MI-Gov: Gretchen Whitmer pulls way ahead in race for Democratic nomination, poll says

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer has pulled ahead of her two fellow Democratic candidates, according to a new poll by Michigan Information & Research Service.

What are the details?

The Detroit Metro Times published the poll's results Monday, which showed Whitmer, a former state senator and one-time Ingham County prosecuting attorney, is in the lead at 40 percent.

The other two Democratic candidates — businessman Shri Thanedar and former Detroit health director Abdul El-Sayed — trailed Whitmer at 19 percent and 17 percent, respectively.

According to the Metro Times, the Michigan Information & Research Service polled 400 Democratic voters via phone between June 24 and 26.

This is a big difference from the two polls in April and May, which had Thanedar leading Whitmer by a narrow margin.

Anything else about the poll?

Michigan Information & Research Service also revealed that if the election were held today, a head-to-head matchup between Republican front-runner Attorney General Bill Schuette and Whitmer found Schuette with 37 percent of the vote and Whitmer at 42 percent of the vote.

A head-to-head matchup between Schuette and Thanedar also found Schuette at 37 percent, and Thanedar at 40 percent.

Michigan Information & Research Service asked the head-to-head matchup question of 800 voters from Republican and Democratic parties, as well as those who consider themselves independents, and who are likely to cast a ballot in November's general election.

Anything else?

The three Democratic candidates faced off in their first televised debate in June.

El-Sayed, Thanedar, and Whitmer will face off in a debate one more time before the Aug. 7 primary. The second debate is scheduled for July 19.

You can read more about the Democratic and Republican candidates for Michigan governor here.

The Cook Political Report calls the race a toss-up.