New Marquette University Law School poll finds voters don’t know candidates running for office, are divided on Foxconn

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – In November, Wisconsin will cast ballots in races for governor and Senate and the latest Marquette Law School poll shows most people don’t know much about the candidates in those two races.

Name recognition is something all candidates in the Senate and gubernatorial race are struggling with. The majority of people polled said they didn’t know or don’t have enough information to form an opinion of each candidate.

 Looking at the governor’s race, the Marquette poll asked voters who of the nine Democrats they will vote for in the primary.

Forty-four percent said they didn’t know. State superintendent Tony Evers was next with 18% and Madison Mayor Paul Soglin came in second with just 9%.

The Senate race looks similar. Between the two Republicans running in the primary, 49 percent said they don’t know. Twenty-eight percent said they would vote for Kevin Nicholson and State Senator Leah Vukhmir got 19%.

“Where we are right now, is sort of where we are going into most competitive races that can then break one way or another in the last six months say of the campaign,” said Charles Franklin, Director of Marquette Law School.

The poll also showed most Wisconsinites don’t know much about either of the candidates for Supreme Court. That election is coming up in April.

Eighty-one percent don’t know or haven’t heard enough about Michael Screnock, 77% said the same about Judge Rebecca Dallet.

Monday’s poll also asked people how they feel about Foxconn and whether it will benefit the state.

There is skepticism among voters that the state’s investment in Foxconn will actually pay off.

The state gave the tech company a $3 billion incentives package in exchange for the promise to create 13,000 jobs. Thirty-eight percent say the deal will be worth it while 49% say it will not.

When asked if Foxconn will substantially improve the economy in the Milwaukee area, 57% said yes while only 35% said no.

For the full poll results and methodology information, please click here.