A new poll shows just over half of Wisconsin voters approve of the governor’s job performance.
Visiting Professor of Law and Public Policy at Marquette University Law School Charles Franklin says 51 percent of the 701 registered voters who took the survey approve of the job Governor Scott Walker is doing, while 46 percent disapprove, according to the poll released by Marquette Law School in Milwaukee.
The poll shows 74 percent agree that state employees should pay more toward their own pensions and health insurance, but when asked about limiting collective bargaining, that was supported by just 48 percent. “Voters are much more split or even opposed to the question of doing away with unions; but on the question of contributions for benefits, large majorities have supported the governor’s position for well over a year now.”
Most revealing is the rhetoric and misperception of a 50/50 split among the electorate. Franklin says while a divide is mostly true, people pick and choose when to support or oppose the governor. He says voters are not “in partisan lockstep” with a particular party as political rhetoric would suggest.
The Marquette poll shows 29 percent favored and 65 percent opposed reductions in state aid to public schools. Also, Walker leads four potential Democratic challengers in a likely recall election. Walker leads Tom Barrett 50-to-44 percent; he leads former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk 49-42; and Walker also is favored over Democrats Dave Obey and Tim Cullen.
Franklin says cell phones were included with landlines in the survey, because more and more people rely solely on the mobile devices, especially younger folks. And studies show it really makes a difference when including cell phones in surveys. The school plans to conduct frequent polls in 2012.