Obama, Stabenow lead in EPIC-MRA poll

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - If the election was held now, President Barack Obama would carry Michigan and Sen. Debbie Stabenow would be re-elected, a new EPIC-MRA poll reveals.

The poll, conducted between July 24-31 of 600 "active and likely November voters," shows President Obama with a 48-42 lead over presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney. The president also has a 9-point advantage in favorability, 49-40.

Stabenow has a 14-point lead (49-35) over Pete Hoekstra, the leading contender for the Republican nomination, and a 47-25 lead in favorability.

However, Hoekstra has a greater name recognition and higher favorability than his GOP opponents, Clark Durant, Gary Glenn and Randy Hekman. And 51% of those responding to this part of the survey said they would vote for Hoekstra.

The same respondents said the Michigan economy "has already bottomed out and is starting to improve" (53%) while only 17% think it will get worse.

By a 47-33 margin, respondents opposed the Tea Party movement, and identify themselves as pro-choice by a 3% margin, 48-45.

Party affiliation is almost evenly split: 38% Democrats, 36% Republicans and 26% independents.

The poll, conducted for WOOD TV8 and our broadcast partners, has a margin of error of +/-4%.