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MICHIGAN: STILL IN PLAY [Henry Payne 10/27 11:48 AM]

This morning's Detroit News poll confirms last week's pro-Bush polling trend - Michigan is back in play.

Until late Thursday, Michigan had been written off by The New York Times and many election experts as Kerry country. Then came two tracking polls conducted by News' pollster Steve Mitchell which put Bush ahead by five and three points after Kerry had consistently led by at least seven points all summer.

Today's results put the race at a virtual dead heat, with Kerry polling 45 percent and Bush 44 among 600 likely voters. Says Mitchell: "At this point, Michigan still looks like a very competitive state." In conservative West Michigan, which the Bush campaign has blanketed with ad buys to shore up perceived soft support, Bush polled strongly at 47-38. To counter Metro Detroit's heavily union and black demographic, Bush will need big numbers on the state's west side to win the state.

The poll results have jolted a complacent Kerry, who last visited the state on September 15 and had no plans to return. He was back in Michigan Sunday for a rally in swing Macomb County and has scheduled another visit this weekend.