Contact: Aly Ferguson
aly@newpolitics.org; 480-363-6465
General election polling shows voters prefer candidates with military and service backgrounds to traditional politicians; New Politics candidates Matt Maasdam (MI-07) and Zach Dembo (KY-06) out-perform primary opponents in head-to-head general election matchups.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 12, 2026) — New polling from Public Policy Polling conducted in MI-07 and KY-06 and released today by New Politics shows New Politics-endorsed candidates Matt Maasdam (MI-07) and Zach Dembo (KY-06) as the best-performing candidates in general election matchups across these two competitive swing districts.
In both districts, voters prefer a candidate with a record of military or community service to one with a background in elected office. Independent voters especially responded favorably to both candidates’ service backgrounds compared to their opponents — a potentially determinative advantage as Democrats seek to flip both districts in 2026. New Politics has endorsed 20 servant leader candidates in competitive House districts critical to Democrats’ path to retaking the House majority.
VIEW THE FULL POLLING MEMOS HERE: KY-06, MI-07
Emily Cherniack, Founder and Executive Director of New Politics, released the following statement:
“These polls confirm what New Politics has always known: voters across the country are hungry for candidates who have actually served their country, their communities, and something bigger than themselves. Zach Dembo and Matt Maasdam represent exactly the kind of battle-tested, service-driven leadership necessary to win voters' trust and put critical swing seats like these firmly in play. This data makes clear that their backgrounds aren't just electoral assets — they're a decisive advantage in flipping the House.”
New Politics is an organization that revitalizes American democracy by recruiting, developing, and electing leaders across the ideological and political spectrum who have committed their lives to serving their communities and our country, either through military service, national service organizations like AmeriCorps or the Peace Corps, or by demonstrating strong service-based leadership in their community. New Politics’ support includes strategic advising and training in all aspects of a candidate’s campaign, such as fundraising, communications, organizing, hiring, and team building. New Politics has raised over $40 million to support over 475 candidates, successfully electing more than 200 of them to office, from Congress to School Board. Learn more at newpolitics.org.
