CONFLICTED READING OF POLLS

The race to be the Democratic Senate candidate heading into November is this close, and which of the three candidates – Oakland County Congresswoman Haley Stevens, Royal Oak state Senator Mallory McMorrow or former Wayne County health chief Abdul El-Sayed – is at the top of the polls depends on which poll is being interpreted. According to a recent poll by Global Strategy Group for the McMorrow campaign in late March, McMorrow now leads, 30 percent over El-Sayed at 25 percent with Stevens at 23 percent, and 21 percent – still a large percentage – undecided. The same week, RealClearPolitics showed a different result, with Stevens and McMorrow nearly tied, with McMorrow narrowly leading Stevens, 24 percent to Stevens’ 23 percent, and El-Sayed trailing at 17 percent. El-Sayed put out results of a poll from Upswing Research that indicates the three are statistically tied. Stevens is hanging her hat on her standing with independent voters who in the past have played an important roll in election results. El-Sayed has been promoting his likability rating over the other two candidates. Expect a brawl to the finish in August.