MU Poll Asks Voters About Impeachment, 2020 Dem Primary

Marquette University (MU) Law School released its fourth poll of 2019 on Oct. 23. The poll again gauged Wisconsin voter opinions on the candidates in the 2020 Democratic primary for president. The October poll also included measures of voter support for presidential impeachment, opinions on state and national politicians, and overall views on the state and economy.

 

Wisconsin Overall

Voters feelings on Wisconsin generally were down slightly in October. 53 percent feel Wisconsin is heading in the right direction, down from 55 percent in the September poll. 39 percent see Wisconsin as on the wrong track, up from 37 percent in September.

 

Economy

Wisconsin voters’ opinions on the economy were slightly more favorable than in the previous poll. 41 percent of voters believe the economy has gotten better over the past year. 20 percent say the economy has gotten worse, down from 25 percent who gave that response in the September poll. 36 percent say the economy has stayed the same.

Looking ahead, 25 percent say the economy is going to continue to get better. 30 percent say the economy will get worse, down from 37 percent who gave that response in the September poll. 39 percent say the economy will stay the same.

 

Gov. Tony Evers

Gov. Tony Evers’s approval ratings remain about the same as in the September poll, with 52 percent of voters approving of his job as governor and 34 percent disapproving. Evers’s favorable-unfavorable numbers also remained about the same, at 47 percent favorable and 35 percent unfavorable, with 13 percent responding they haven’t heard enough about the governor.

 

President Donald Trump

Approval of President Donald Trump remains about the same as in the previous few polls, with 46 percent of voters approving and 51 percent disapproving. Those who disapprove of the president feel strongly – 46 percent said they strongly disapprove of the president, compared to just 5 percent who somewhat disapprove.

While there are more Wisconsin voters who do not support impeachment than those who do, support for impeachment of the president has increased since the poll last asked about the issue in April. 46 percent of voters believe there is enough cause for Congress to impeach the president, up from 29 percent in April. 49 percent said there is not enough cause, down from 65 percent. Overall, 44 percent said Trump should be impeached and removed from office, while 51 percent did not think so.

 

2020 Democratic Primary

The poll again asked Democratic voters who they would vote for in the Democratic primary for president in 2020. Top candidates were former Vice President Joe Biden at 31 percent, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) at 24 percent, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) at 17 percent, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 7 percent, and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) at 5 percent.

Out of the top five candidates chosen in the MU poll, Wisconsin voters have the most favorable view of Biden at 40 percent, though that number is down from 45 percent in September. Favorability ratings for Sanders, Warren, and Harris remained about the same as in September. Buttigieg’s favorability also remained about the same, but voters have become more familiar with Buttigieg. 39 percent said they haven’t heard enough about Buttigieg, down from 45 percent in the September poll.

In questions placing the candidates head-to-head against Trump, Biden continues to fare best, beating Trump 50 percent to 44 percent. Sanders and Warren also beat Trump at 48 to 46 percent and 47 to 46 percent, respectively. Buttigieg was the only one of the four candidates to lose to Trump in the head to head question, at 43 percent to Trump’s 45 percent.

 

Candidate Voters’ Top Choice Trump Head-to-Head Favorable Unfavorable Haven’t heard enough
Biden 31% 50-44% 40% 45% 10%
Warren 24% 47-46% 32% 40% 21%
Sanders 17% 48-46% 39% 51% 6%
Buttigieg 7% 43-45% 23% 23% 39%
Harris 5% (not polled) 24% 32% 33%