Francesca Hong leads latest Marquette University Law School poll, new poll to be released before Aug. 11 primary
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — Marquette University Law School released new poll results Wednesday, July 22, as the August 11 primary approaches.
The poll was conducted July 8 through July 11, before Lt. Governor Sara Rodriguez dropped out of the race with Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley re-entering the race. However, Marquette University Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin said there are still valuable takeaways.
“It’s really important to see what the status of the race was before those issues came up,” Franklin said.
Among Democratic primary voters, 45% are still undecided as to which candidate they would vote for State Rep. State Representative Francesca Hong led the poll as the choice of 26% of voters, making this her fourth time leading in the poll.
“I think that’s a pretty interesting story,”” Franklin said. “It doesn’t guarantee that she’ll win the primary, but it certainly shows that she has enduring strength.”
Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes followed behind Hong with 15%. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez had 11% prior to dropping out. Joel Brennan and Kelda Roys followed behind them.
The polls hypothetical general election matchups with Tom Tiffany looked different for Hong, despite her favorability. Among registered voters, Barnes is the only Democrat in the survey and still in the race to be polled to beat Tiffany with a lead of four points. While Hong is trailing by three percentage points, the matchup is still incredibly close.
“There is this really potential for the campaign in the fall to mobilize people that aren’t currently voting,” Franklin said.
The poll also includes statewide and national trends. Franklin announced that Gov. Tony Ever’s poll numbers tick upward while President Trump’s declined to the lowest level of his presidency.
The poll also revealed economic issues continue to be the top concerns of Wisconsin voters overall.
In light of the recent shakeups and changing of candidates in the Wisconsin governor’s race, the Marquette University Law School announced there will be a new poll released Wednesday, July 29 focusing on the Democratic primary.
Franklin said that will surely provide some insight on Crowley’s appeal to voters, Gov. Tony Evers endorsement and other potential developments with the campaign.
