The Detroit News
February 23, 2026
Ben Warren
About half of Michigan voters believe the state is headed in the right direction, but many are unaware of how poorly it ranks nationally on key metrics, according to a new statewide poll commissioned by the Detroit Regional Chamber.
The Glengariff Group poll of 600 registered Michigan voters was conducted from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 and surveyed respondents about a range of topics, including the economy, data centers and political civility headed into this year’s midterm election.
Sandy K. Baruah, Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber, said, “In many ways, our house is on fire. In just one generation, Michigan has fallen from a top 10 or 20 state to a bottom 10 state in per capita income and educational achievement, which is not a recipe for long-term economic success.”
Respondents who said the economy was on the wrong track overwhelmingly indicated that inflation and the cost of goods were the underlying causes. “We’ve seen a pretty significant increase in people who are expecting inflation to grow,” said Baruah, the Chamber Chief Executive Officer.