In a poll commissioned by Inside Michigan Politics, Market Research Group has released the first analysis of how things might play out in the 2010 race for the governor’s office. 

According the Detroit Free Press’ Dawson Bell, the MRG/IMP poll found the following:

In head-to-head races with [Lt. Gov. John] Cherry, Attorney General Mike Cox led 41%-34%, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land led 39%-34% and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson led 38%-34%, the poll by Marketing Resource Group found.

The impressive result for Cox was partially offset by the poll’s survey of GOP primary voters, in which he attracted only 15% of the vote, trailing Patterson’s 22% and U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra with 17%. Land garnered the support of 12% of primary voters.

The poll also asked the 600 voters which Democrat they would vote for, with Cherry outpacing Daniel Mulhern, Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s husband; former MSU football coach and current MSU trustee George Perles and House Speaker Andy Dillon.

The poll had a margin of error of 4.1 percent, and in the primary races the margin was even larger.