Cox leading race for governor

Attorney General Mike Cox is the front-runner in next year's governor's race, according to a poll released Sunday by Mitchell Research & Communications.

The poll of 600 likely voters taken before Thanksgiving shows Cox holding a 27 to 24 percent lead over Pete Hoekstra in the Republican primary.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is in third with 12 percent, while state Sen. Tom George and Ann Arbor businessman Rick Snyder are polling with 3 percent each in the survey conducted Nov. 17-19 and Nov. 22-24. One-third of voters are still undecided. It has a 4 percentage point margin of error.

The survey, which also has Cox leading the Democratic leader, found Cox is weathering the recent flap over how he has handled the investigation into the long-rumored but never proven party at the Manoogian Mansion in fall 2002 by ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

Rumors allege Cox got in the way of the investigation. Cox is expected to be deposed Dec. 11 in the lawsuit involving slain dancer Tamara Greene. Greene, linked to the party allegations, was killed in a Detroit drive-by shooting in 2003.

Cox's deposition will be sealed over Cox's objection, Chief U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen said.

"Despite some media stories about Cox's investigation into former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, he continues to lead in the GOP primary election for governor," said Steve Mitchell, president of Mitchell Research.

http://detnews.com/article/20091130/POLITICS02/911300342/Poll-shows-Cox-leading-race-for-governor