(The Center Square) – The 2024 presidential race in Wisconsin is tightening in some circumstances.
A new Marquette Law School Poll shows the Republican presidential primary, Donald Trump vs. Ron Desantis, in a one-point race.
“Among Republicans and independents who lean Republican, the GOP presidential primary is a near-even divide, with 31% supporting former President Donald Trump and 30% supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis,” pollsters noted. “Former Vice President Mike Pence is the choice of 6% and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott receives 5%. A substantial 21% say they have not decided whom to support.”
President Joe Biden, unsurprisingly, is very popular among Democrats in Wisconsin.
“While many Democratic voters say they are undecided, Biden’s favorability rating is 83%, and his unfavourability is 15%, among all Democrats and independents who lean Democratic,” the poll states. “Biden is rated more favorably than unfavorably even among those supporting Robert Kennedy Jr. or Marianne Williamson and among those who are undecided.”
The poll shows that a DeSantis vs. Biden race would be close, while a Trump vs. Biden match-up would a bit more lopsided.
“If the election were held today and DeSantis were the GOP nominee against Biden, it would be a very close race in Wisconsin, with 49% for Biden, 47% for DeSantis,” pollsters said. “Biden has a larger lead over Trump in a similar hypothetical matchup, with 52% for Biden to Trump’s 43%.”
The Marquette Poll said Gov. Tony Evers is more popular with voters now than he was last fall.
Pollsters say 93% of Democrats approve of the job the governor is doing, as do 60% of independents, and 17% of Republicans.
“Among registered voters, 57% think the state is on the wrong track, while 40% say it is headed in the right direction. In October 2022, 58% said the state was on the wrong track and 34% said it was moving in the right direction,” pollsters added.
The survey was conducted June 8-13, 2023, interviewing 913 Wisconsin registered voters, with a margin of error of +/-4.3 percentage points. The sample includes 419 Republicans and independents who lean Republican and were asked about their preferences in the Republican presidential primary, with a margin of error of +/-6.5 percentage points. The Democratic primary preference was asked of 453 Democrats and independents who lean Democratic, with a margin of error of +/-6 percentage points.
