U.S.THE INTERVIEW
US midterms: 2 days to go, and the polls disagree in Michigan
A CBS Detroit poll puts El-Sayed ahead of Republican Mike Rogers by seven among likely voters, while RealClearPolling shows two; same race, same week.
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At a glance
- First reported by Al Jazeera: “US midterms: 2 days to go – what polls say as Trump, El-Sayed hit the trail”, with reporting from CBS Detroit.
- Covered on BBN on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 4:15 AM ET on BBN After Hours, by Vera Bullock.
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What BBN said about it

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorTwo polls of the Michigan Senate race, and one has Abdul El-Sayed up seven while the other has him up two.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorWith us is Leopold Varga-Nwosu, polling historian and author of The Margin of Me. Which poll is right?
Leopold Varga-NwosuBoth are right, Vera. I'm a historian, so I only need one of them to have already happened.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThe Mitchell poll for CBS Detroit says fifty-one to forty-four among likely voters. RealClearPolling says forty-eight to forty-six. That's a gap of five points on the lead.
Leopold Varga-NwosuYes, and I predicted that gap. As I wrote on page one-ten, a lead can be both comfortable and narrow.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo you called a big lead and a small lead.
Leopold Varga-NwosuI called every lead, Vera. Nationally Democrats are up fifty-one point four to forty-three point two, and that's page two-twelve.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorThen what's the page for Republicans winning?
Leopold Varga-NwosuPage two-ninety. It's right after the chapter where they don't.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorIn Wisconsin, Marquette found thirty-seven percent approve of Trump and sixty-one disapprove. Which page is that?
Leopold Varga-NwosuThree-oh-one. Though I should say the book is only two hundred ninety-six pages.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorSo page three-oh-one doesn't exist. I'd call that a bonus chapter for the paperback.

Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorVerdict on Michigan: a seven-point lead, a two-point lead, and one author covering both. Which page is it if the book doesn't sell?
Leopold Varga-NwosuThe last page. It's blank, and I'm told that's a very strong sales position.
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Sunday, November 1, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months







