A national polling organization unveiled extensive data from throughout the state on Tuesday matching up candidates against Gov. Scott Walker in the upcoming recall election, and concluded the governor is in for “the fight of his life.”

Public Policy Polling’s data suggested the polling numbers are some of the most encouraging figures for Democrats recorded since last August, with the majority of those surveyed disapproving of the governor.

Polled voters were evenly split on whether to recall Walker, with 49 percent in favor and 49 percent against the recall, according to the poll. Walker’s approval rating came in at 47 percent, 5 percent below his disapproval rating of 52 percent.

In a statement released with the poll, Public Policy Polling President Dean Debnam said Walker’s numbers had been seeing some recovery, but now appear to be turning back in the wrong direction.

Debnam said the big question now is whether Democrats can find a candidate to take advantage of Walker’s vulnerability.

In an email to The Badger Herald, Walker campaign spokesperson Tom Evenson said Wisconsin elected Walker to take bold action to address the budget crisis, and he was confident voters would elect him again because the governor has kept his promises of decreasing the budget deficit without raising taxes or laying off public employees.

According to the poll, the largest threat to Walker is former Sen. Russ Feingold, who pollers found would beat Walker 52 percent to 45 percent in a recall election. Feingold has yet to enter the race and has said on multiple occasions he has no plans to run.

When squared off against all the other Democratic opponents, Walker either wins or loses the election by a margin of 3 percent, which is just below the poll’s 3.27 percent margin of error. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett led Walker 49 percent to 46 percent, followed by current candidate Kathleen Falk, who led Walker 48 percent to 47 percent. The poll found 27 percent of voters are “not sure” about Falk.

Tom Barrett campaign spokesperson Patrick Guarasci said Barrett is grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support from people across Wisconsin that the polls reflect.

Guarasci said as the recall process unfolds, Barrett would continue to remain focused on the issues that matter most, such as creating jobs, strengthening the middle class and leading with honesty and integrity.

Barrett has yet to file papers with the Government Accountability Board indicating any intent to run in the recall election against Walker. 

The poll also determined current standings in the Democratic primary election to see who would face Walker. In the lead is Tom Barrett with 45 percent, followed by Kathleen Faulk with 18 percent, Doug La Follette with 14 percent, Kathleen Vinehout with 6 percent and 17 percent undecided.

The polling group also cited several reasons for public opinion to be even more encouraging for Democrats than the numbers currently show. The statement said many of Walker’s prospective opponents are far less well-known statewide than he is, which could be an advantage for his challengers to make up even more ground as the electorate gets to know them.

According to the statement, the poll could also be slightly biased toward conservative voters surveyed because of those polled, 29 percent identified themselves as somewhat or very liberal whereas 40 percent of those polled identified themselves as somewhat or very conservative.