Detroit Regional Chamber > Advocacy > Michigan Voters Pessimistic About Tariffs, Economy, New Poll Finds

Michigan Voters Pessimistic About Tariffs, Economy, New Poll Finds

May 27, 2025


The Detroit News
May 27, 2025
Craig Mauger

Most registered voters in Michigan said tariffs imposed by Republican President Donald Trump on products manufactured outside the United States will be bad for the state and have pessimistic views about the current economy, according to poll results released Tuesday by the Detroit Regional Chamber.

The survey was unveiled ahead of the business organization’s annual Mackinac Policy Conference and provided an in-depth look at how residents of an electoral battleground state see a central policy of Trump’s second term after three months in office.

Asked about the tariffs’ potential impact on Michigan, 54% of the 600 participants said the effect would be bad, while 35% said it would be good — a difference of 19 percentage points. Another 11% said there would be no impact or they declined to answer.

Sandy K. Baruah, president and chief executive officer of the Detroit Regional Chamber, said the results showed voters in Michigan clearly understood that tariffs are a tax and will increase the costs of goods.

“There’s a fairly clear understanding that tariffs are not good for Michigan,” Baruah said. “But at least a plurality of Republicans still support President Trump’s tariff policy.”