Businessman Donald Trump and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had big wins on Super Tuesday. But one day before the Republican presidential candidates take center stage to debate in Detroit’s historic Fox Theatre, frontrunner Trump is only 10 points ahead of U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. That’s the finding of a brand new and exclusive WXYZ-TV 7/Detroit Free Press Poll conducted by EPIC MRA for our statewide media partners in Grand Rapids, Flint, Lansing and Detroit.

If the Michigan GOP Presidential primary were held today, Trump would win with 29% of the vote compared to Cruz with 19% and Rubio right on his heals with 18%. Ohio Governor John Kasich and neurosurgeon Ben Carson are currently polling at 8% each. Eighteen percent are still undecided.

Bernie Porn, president of the Lansing polling firm that surveyed 400 likely Republican voters said, “Trump is well positioned to win Michigan on Tuesday, March 8, but Rubio is likely to overtake Cruz in Michigan. Nevertheless, as it now stands, Trump is the odds on favorite to win the GOP nomination in Cleveland.”

What’s fascinating about this year’s high interest presidential contest is that the candidate Michiganders like the most is at the bottom of the polls. Detroit native Ben Carson has a 72% favorability rating, followed by Rubio at 64%, Cruz - 57%, Kasich – 54% and Trump at 48%.

But Trunp’s strength with the voters rests in what Bernie Porn says is “his attitude and image as a fighter which is stronger than where he stands on the issues.”

When the voters were asked about Trump’s statement that he would ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. until America got a better handle on combating terrorism, 61% of Republican voters agreed, 32% disagreed.

Conversely, 82% of GOP voters disagree with Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders’ call for free college tuition. Only 13% agree.

The survey was conducted February 27 – 29. Thirty percent of the respondents answered question on their cell phones. The poll has a plus or minus margin of error of 4.9% We’ll have a survey on how the Democratic candidates for president stack up in the race for the White House, later this week.

Detailed poll responses

AMONG ABSENTEE VOTERS ONLY (11% OF RESPONDENTS)

Which candidate running for president in the Michigan Republican presidential primary did you vote for?

2% Ben Carson

10% Ted Cruz

5% John Kasich

14% Marco Rubio

45% Donald Trump

24% Undecided/Refused to answer

RESPONSES FROM VOTERS WHO PLAN TO VOTE IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY (INCLUDING ABSENTEE VOTERS)

If the Michigan Republican presidential primary election were held today, which candidate would you vote for?

8% Total Carson

19% Total Cruz

8% Total Kasich

18% Total Rubio

29% Total Trump

18% Undecided or refused to answer

How certain are you that you will vote for the candidate you chose? Are you very certain, somewhat certain, or, not certain at all, and you might change your mind before the election?

63% Very certain

18% Somewhat certain

18% Not certain at all – may change mind

1% Undecided/Refused

Which candidate would be your second choice?

15% Carson

15% Cruz

18% Kasich

26% Rubio

12% Trump

14% Undecided

Donald Trump has stated that if he is elected president, he would temporarily ban all Muslims from entering the United States until we have a better handle on efforts by ISIS or Al-Qaeda to infiltrate the United States with terrorists that they have trained. Do you agree or disagree with Donald Trump’s position on banning Muslims from entering the United States?

61% Agree

32% Disagree

7% Undecided/Refused

Bernie Sanders, one of the two Democratic candidates running for President, has said that if he is elected President, he would provide free college tuition for students wishing to attend college, and he would pay for his $75 billion plan for free college tuition by imposing a tax of one half of a percent on stock market trades and a smaller fee on bond transactions and other trading. Do you agree or disagree with Bernie Sanders plan to provide free college tuition?

13% Total Agree

82% Total Disagree

5% Undecided/Refused

Based on your personal experience or what you know or have heard or read, do you support or oppose the efforts of the Tea Party movement?

54% Tea Party Supporters

19% Tea Party Opponents

27% Undecided/Refused

Do you think of yourself as pro-choice, meaning that you support allowing women to have the right to an abortion, or do you consider yourself pro-life, meaning that you oppose abortions except where it is necessary to save the life of the mother?

23% Pro-choice

71% Pro-life

6% Undecided/Refused

Would you describe yourself as a conservative, a moderate or a liberal?

31% Very conservative

36% Mostly conservative

24% Moderate

2% Liberal

7% Undecided/Refused

Generally speaking, do you consider yourself a Republican or a Democrat?

3% Democrat

81% Republican

16% Independent/Other