New Marquette Poll Shows Johnson leading Barnes; Evers & Michels Neck & Neck

A recent Marquette Law School Poll survey of Wisconsin revealed Sen. Ron Johnson leading in the U.S. Senate race over Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes and a toss-up in the governor’s race between Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Republican Tim Michels. 

In last month’s poll, the Senate race was a close 49%-48% with Johnson in the lead. The governor’s race showed Evers ahead 47%-44% but was within a 4.8% margin of error, putting both results essentially at a tie. 

“Among likely voters, Sen. Ron Johnson is supported by 52% and Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes is the choice of 46%,” Marquette pollster Charles Franklin said. 

Undecided voters who lean toward a specific candidate were included in vote results. 

“The governor’s race has tightened to a toss-up: Among likely voters, 47% support Democrat incumbent Gov. Tony Evers, while 46% favor the Republican challenger, Tim Michels,” Franklin said. 

Joan Beglinger is the independent candidate against Evers and Michels. She is chosen by 4%, leaving 1% of voters unsure. Beglinger ended her campaign in early September but will remain on the November ballot. 

The sum of all registered voters favors the Democratic candidates in both races, while the totals for likely voters favor the Republican candidates. 

Shortly after reviewing the results of the poll, Johnson’s leading campaign in the Senate race released a statement. 

“This campaign has always been about truth versus lies and distortions,” the campaign senior advisor, Ben Voelkel, said. “The contrast in this race is clear: Ron Johnson is talking about the issues voters care about around the state of Wisconsin, while Lt. Gov. Barnes continues to lie and distract from his extreme record of supporting defunding the police, abolishing ICE, and reckless tax-and-spend policies that have driven us into a recession and made us less safe.”

No formal reaction to the poll was made by the Mandela Barnes for Wisconsin campaign.

Nearing Evers’ lead in the governor’s race, Michels’ campaign also released a statement. 

“The more people are reminded of Tony Evers’ failures, the more they coalesce around Tim Michels,” Michel’s campaign manager, Patrick McNulty, said. “Tony Evers has released brutal murderers on our streets, shut down Main Street businesses, and crippled our education system. We look forward to carrying this momentum into Election Day.”

Evers’ campaign has yet to release an opinion regarding the poll released in October, but Kayla Anderson, campaign press secretary, gave a statement following August poll findings.

“Wisconsinites trust Gov. Tony Evers to do the right thing for our kids, our economy and working families, and this latest Marquette poll shows what we’ve known all along — this will be one of the most competitive races in the country, and we aren’t taking anything for granted,” Anderson said. “While Tim Michels continues to embrace the most radical, out-of-touch agenda for our state, Wisconsinites recognize that Gov. Evers cares about people like them. Gov. Evers has spent the last four years bringing people together to get things done and delivering work for families — and he is ready for what’s ahead.”

According to the poll’s cross tabulations, women and men are almost equally excited to vote but most eager are citizens above age 60. 

Former President Barack Obama is coming to Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Oct. 29 to headline a rally in support of Tony Evers and Mandela Barnes, ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections. 

Obama’s roles at the rally will be to drive up Democratic turnout and encourage early voting. After November’s elections, the former president will be making efforts to bolster democracy. Two weeks after midterm elections, he will be hosting a “Democracy Forum,” in attempt to find solutions to challenges within democratic institutions. 

The Marquette Law School survey was conducted Oct. 3-9 with a total of 801 registered Wisconsin voters interviewed.