In response to State Sen. Mickey Switalski’s intent to challenge him in the Democratic primary in 2012, Rep. Sander Levin has released a poll showing that at the present time he would crush Switalski in an election battle.
 

Levin released a poll over the weekend that shows him with a huge advantage over Switalski, a fellow Democrat, if the 2010 House race were held today. In a head-to-head matchup, the incumbent congressman would beat Switalski by a 62 percent to 14 percent margin, the survey showed.

“I think the poll speaks for itself,” said an upbeat Levin, 78, who has served 27 years in the House. “It shows the constituents understand the work that we’ve been doing.”

The poll was commissioned by the veteran lawmaker after being told by Switalski that he would try to unseat him in the August 2010 Democratic primary.

Consider that a warning shot across Switalski’s bow. I don’t think Levin really fears a primary challenge at this point, but he’d just as soon not have to fight one. If he can convince Switalski of the futility of mounting such a challenge, he can prevent himself a lot of grief in 2010.