On June 20, Marquette University (MU) released its second poll of 2018 that compiled interviews with nearly 800 registered voters in Wisconsin between June 13-17, 2018. The poll detailed voter opinions on Wisconsin’s current representatives and candidates for primaries in the November 2018 elections.
Voter approval of President Donald Trump remained largely the same as in the March poll, with 44 percent approving and 50 percent disapproving.
Gov. Scott Walker had a 49 percent approval rating and 47 percent disapproval rating. This poll marks the first time Walker’s approval has been higher than disapproval in at least a year.
Wisconsin voters’ views on their congressional representatives changed only slightly. 39 percent of voters see Republican Sen. Ron Johnson as favorable, compared to 34 percent unfavorable. Johnson’s favorability was 40 percent favorable to 39 percent unfavorable in March. Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin is viewed by 41 percent of voters as favorable, compared to 43 percent unfavorable. In March, 37 percent viewed Baldwin as favorable, and 39 percent viewed her as unfavorable. House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-Janesville) numbers decreased slightly to 43 percent favorable and 41 unfavorable, compared to 46 percent favorable and 39 percent unfavorable in March.
In the Republican primary for Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s seat, Kevin Nicholson still leads state Sen. Leah Vukmir 37 percent to 32 percent, though Vukmir narrowed that lead from Nicholson’s 28 percent to 19 percent lead in March. The poll also showed Baldwin leading over both candidates, 11 points up on Nicholson and 9 points up on Vukmir.
Tony Evers still holds the MU poll lead in the Democratic primary for governor at 25 percent. Matt Flynn, Mike McCabe, and Paul Soglin all followed at 7 percent. Kelda Roys, who won the Wispolitics straw poll at the Democratic convention earlier this month, received only 2 percent of responses. Still, 34 percent didn’t know who they would vote for in the Democratic primary for governor.
Walker maintained a lead in head-to-heads with every Democratic primary candidate. Walker is leading McCabe by just two points, while leading Evers, Flynn, and Mitchell by four and Andy Gronik by five. Walker also beat Roys in a head-to-head, 48 percent to 40 percent.
Overall, more Wisconsinites still think the state is on the right track. 52 percent of respondents said the state is headed in the right direction, whereas 42 percent said it’s on the wrong track, numbers similar to the March poll.
The next Marquette poll will be released July 18.