According to Marquette University Law School’s November poll, Wisconsin voters consider willingness to compromise on a presidential candidate’s part more important than an unwillingness to budge on party principles.
The poll was conducted from Nov. 12 to Nov. 15 with a sample of 803 registered voters, including 374 Democratic voters and 326 Republican voters over the phone.
The Presidential race
Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson overtook billionaire Donald Trump to take the lead in the GOP race in Wisconsin, while Hillary Clinton holds half of Wisconsin Democrat support.
Carson’s Wisconsin GOP support increased by 6 percent to 22 percent since September, while Trump’s fell by 1 percent to 19 percent. Republican support for U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, increased by 5 percent to tie with Trump.
Since Vice President Joe Biden announced he would not seek candidacy, both Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, experienced surges in support from registered Democrat voters this month.
Clinton holds 50 percent, an 8 percent increase since the September poll, while Sanders holds 41 percent, an 11 percent increase in two months. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley holds 2 percent of Wisconsin Democrat voters’ support.
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What Wisconsin voters consider important
According to the poll, 78 percent of registered voters want a president more willing to compromise. Ninety-one percent of Democrats believe compromise is more important compared to 68 percent of Republicans and 76 percent of Independents.
Forty-nine percent of voters said political experience is important, while 45 percent think a candidate should be from outside of the establishment.
Broken down by party, 61 percent of Republicans want an outsider while 32 percent prefer experience, 77 percent of Democrats want an experienced candidate while 19 percent want an outsider and 55 percent of Independents want an outsider while 39 percent want experience.
Ninety percent of Democrats polled say income differences in America are too large while 53 percent of Republicans disagreed. Seventy-three percent of Democrats say the government should do something to reduce income differences while 75 percent of Republicans, again, disagreed.
The poll found 84 percent of registered voters either agree or strongly agree that “government is run by a few big interests.” Seventy-one percent of Republicans agree with the statement “government is taking away my personal freedoms and liberty,” while 55 percent of Democrats disagree.
The State of Wisconsin and Gov. Scott Walker
Thirty percent of people polled said the Wisconsin budget is in better shape than it was a few years ago, though 24 percent consider it about the same and 39 percent believe it is in worse shape.
Since August, the percent of registered voters who believe Wisconsin is lagging behind other states in job creation increased by 7 percent to 57 percent this month. In October 2014, 42 percent said Wisconsin was lagging.
Overall, disapproval for Walker dropped by 1 percent since September, standing at 58 percent this month. Approval increased by 1 percent with him holding 38 percent.
The Senate race
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold holds 49 percent of registered voters’ support while Republican Ron Johnson holds 38 percent support according to the poll.
Feingold lost 1 percent since September, while Johnson gained 2 percent.
Paul Ryan
Newly elected Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, holds the approval of 49 percent of all registered voters, while 34 percent view him unfavorably.
