The Eye

Much of Cox and Hoekstra's polling advantage at this point can be attributed to their high profile poiltical positions and name recognition in the state.

In the GOP primary, Cox is boosted by high support in the Detroit Metro area, his home base, while Hoekstra, of Holland, Mich. leads the pack comfortably in Western part of the state. "This is going to be a regional race with Hoekstra appealing to his West Michigan roots and background and Cox working the Detroit Area and the rest of the state where his statewide name identification as attorney general will help him," predicted Steve Mitchell of Mitchell Research in his analysis of the poll results.

Neither Bouchard nor Snyder can be counted out, however. Bouchard tapped Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land as his lieutenant governor running mate last week, which was interpreted as a bid to expand his geographic appeal. Land, who dropped out of the governor's race and endorsed Bouchard in June, hails from Kent County in Western Michigan and has statewide name recognition thanks to her two terms as secretary of state.

And while Snyder has yet to make a dent with the GOP electorate -- registering just two percent among likely Republican voters in both polls -- he has the personal resources and organizational capacity to catch on as a top-tier contender. That was evidenced in straw poll win at the state party's semi-annual Republican Leadership Conference.

Snyder managed to rally a big grass-roots showing for the poll, which, as the Detroit Free Press wrote, "turned into a full-blown tactical and expensive proto-campaign" between Snyder and Cox supporters.

Snyder also nabbed an endorsement from Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Co. Ford, who worked with Snyder on the board of The Henry Ford Foundation, cited Snyder's business experience, which includes stints as a Gateway Computer executive and a venture capitalist.

Cherry, the current lieutenant governor, enjoys a big polling lead over his two declared Democratic opponents, earning the support of 40 percent of likely Democratic voters while both former state Rep. John Freeman and current state Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith are stuck in single digits, the Inside Michigan poll shows. Mitchell Research found that Cherry also has a significant advantage over state House Speaker Andy Dillon, who has not ruled out a run, 48% to 14%.

However, Cherry struggles in the general election match-ups, despite the state's tilt to the left in recent elections. Mitchell pointed to Granholm's low job approval ratings amidst the state's worsening economic crisis. Given that, "It is not a surprise that her lieutenant governor would be trailing in a trial ballot test for governor," he said in a statement.

CQ Politics rates the general election contest a Toss Up.