Latest Marquette Poll in Wisconsin makes me smile. Marquette has frequently demonstrated to be the most reliable poll in the state.
This poll interviewed 806 registered Wisconsin voters, by both landline and cell phone, January 21-24, 2016. The margin of error is +/- 4.0 percentage points for the full sample.
Keep that margin of error in mind when you go below for the results.
But ….. likely because the results of this poll ruffle powerful feathers, there has been ZERO media coverage of the results. I only discovered it when I received emails from Russ Feingolds campaign and from one of the grassroots groups in Wisconsin.
Let’s go to the results:
Scott Walker Got Bad News
Despite a continuing charm offensive, Scott Walkers approval ratings have maintained themselves at 38% (the same as November) with a disapproval of 57% (down from 58% in November). Since returning from his failed Presidential campaign to find his statewide numbers at 37% approval, Walker has been holding highly publicized “town hall meetings”.
Despite being listed as “town hall meetings”, they consist of about 20 invitation-only participants (i.e. slavishly devoted Walkerites) at each event. He’s just announced a continuation of his “town hall meetings” throughout the state. It isn’t helping.
Believe it or not, Walker is talking about seeking a THIRD term. Bwahahahaha! Considering the bellyful that Wisconsinites got of him on the Republican Primary circuit, there may not be enough Koch money in the universe to buy that for him.
Russ Feingold Got Great News
In the race for U.S. Senate, Russ Feingold is supported by 50 percent of registered voters, with Republican incumbent Ron Johnson receiving 37 percent. In November, Feingold was at 49 percent and Johnson was at 38 percent.
Ron Johnson defeated Russ Feingold in 2010, the worst turnout election, with a combination of tens of millions of dollars of attack ads by dark money groups and a friendly media that repeated Johnsons lie of being a self-made businessman. While battering Feingold with tough questions, they lobbed only the softest of softballs at Johnson.
So bad was our state media in reporting anything on Johnson that jaws in Wisconsin hit the floor when he announced his win as “a victory for the Tea Party”. His teabagging, extremist roots were very carefully hidden by the media during his campaign. He was promoted as something of a moderate Republican.
Well 5 years of smell testing later along with Johnson not holding any state events or town halls until he needed to run for re-election have taken their toll on his approval which has been holding steady.
Yes, the attack ads from all the usual suspect groups have already been banging away at Russ, but:
Can we all say “Senator Feingold” once again? I think yes.
Great News for Bernie!
A new Marquette Law School Poll finds tight races among Wisconsin voters for both parties’ presidential nominations. In the Democratic race, Hillary Clinton receives 45 percent to Bernie Sanders’ 43 percent, with Martin O’Malley at 1 percent support, among those who say that they will vote in the April Democratic primary. In the November Marquette poll, Clinton held 50 percent, with Sanders at 41 percent and O’Malley at 2 percent.
Since our primary won’t occur until April, there has been no advertising or much campaign activity here in Wisconsin, yet Hillary Clinton has lower support and Bernie Sanders has gained support since November, 2015. Considering the 4% margin of error, the race is essential a tie at present.
As for the GOP:
On the Republican side, Donald Trump is supported by 24 percent, followed by Marco Rubio at 18 percent and Ted Cruz at 16 percent, among respondents who say that they will vote in the Republican primary.
The rest of the clown car trails behind in single digits. Again, no advertising or active campaigning occurring for the GOP hopefuls.
And in possible 2016 Presidential general election races:
- Sanders 49 percent, Rubio 38 percent.
(November: Sanders 46 percent, Rubio 42 percent.)
- Sanders 50 percent, Cruz 38 percent.
(Not asked in November.)
- Sanders 52 percent, Trump 34 percent.
(November: Sanders 52 percent, Trump 35 percent.)
- Clinton 45 percent, Rubio 44 percent.
(November: Clinton 44 percent, Rubio 45 percent.)
- Clinton 45 percent, Cruz 44 percent.
(Not asked in November. August 2015: Clinton 50 percent, Cruz 38 percent.)
- Clinton 47 percent, Trump 38 percent.
(November: Clinton 48 percent, Trump 38 percent.)
It’s fascinating to see how much better Bernie does against possible GOP candidates.
So, that’s the latest poll. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.