MU Poll: Johnson widens lead over Barnes, governor's race remains a toss-up
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- In a race that could decide control of the U.S. Senate, Republican Senator Ron Johnson has a 6-point lead over his Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes, according to polling conducted by Marquette University Law School.
Johnson widened his lead with 52% support among likely voters compared to Barnes' 46%. Polling conducted in September had Johnson up by 1% among likely voters. In August, Barnes held a 7-point lead which has essentially disappeared.
The surge for Johnson comes amid massive spending in the Senate race, with Republicans outspending Democrats by $9 million in the Senate contest, according to September data by AdImpact. Since then, the Barnes campaign announced it raised over $20 million in the third quarter.
Among independents, 45% prefer Barnes, while 51% back Johnson. In September, 46% favored Barnes and 48% backed Johnson, a smaller shift among independents than seen between August and September.
Democratic Governor Tony Evers has a slight advantage over his Republican opponent Tim Michels -- 47% to 46% among likely voters, which falls between the margin of error. Marquette's Poll Director Charles Franklin said it's another indicator the race will be a toss-up.
"This is an example of how turnout could matter," Franklin said. "Whether we have a high or low turnout in the race could shift those numbers, plus we still have a month for people to make up their minds."
Forty-three percent of independents back Evers, while 44% prefer Michels, another tightening of views among independents from September and August.
When it comes to the top issues concerning voters, Republicans surveyed said inflation, illegal immigration and crime. Among Democrats, abortion, gun violence and public schools, according to the poll.
The poll was conducted from Oct 3. to Oct 9. It included 801 registered voters, with 652 likely voters. The margin of error was +/- 4.3% among registered voters and +/-4.8% among likely voters.