Mary Burke and Governor Scott Walker (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
The two main gubernatorial candidates are in a dead heat in the latest Marquette Law School Poll. Republican Governor Scott Walker had led Democratic candidate Mary Burke by 7 points in a previous survey. Charles Franklin is director of the Marquette Law School Poll. “It’s 46-46. A tie,” he says. “That’s quite a shift from 48-41, where it stood in our March data, and 47-41 in January.”
The poll shows 6 percent of registered voters are undecided. Franklin says turnout in the fall election is likely to play an important role and, while the two candidates are in a dead heat, motivation can play a big role in the election. “And at the moment, the more likely voters are a little more pro-Walker, though not statisitically significantly so, and if we add in this measure of enthusiasm and excitement, then Walker’s
advantage inches up a shade more.”
Despite losing points among registered voters, Walker’s job approval is up 2 points to 49 percent. Burke continues to become more familiar to voters, with 51 percent of voters saying they don’t know enough about her. That’s down from 59 percent in March and 70 percent in January. Walker leads among men by 52 percent, while Burke leads among women by 49 percent.
Burke for Wisconsin Communications Director Joe Zepecki released the following statement:
“The new direction and clear plan for growing Wisconsin’s economy, creating more good paying jobs and strengthening the middle class offered by former Trek Executive Mary Burke stands in stark contrast to Scott Walker’s failures. Under Walker, Wisconsin is 9th out of 10 Midwestern states in job growth and last year was the worst for private sector job creation since the Great Recession.”
The poll interviewed 805 Wisconsin registered voters by landline and cell phone May 15-18.