2022 election outlook poor for incumbents

Posted at 2 p.m. on November 3, 2021

The Brillion News

MILWAUKEE - A new Marquette Law School Poll survey of Wisconsin registered voters found that incumbents of both parties face a challenging political environment one year before the 2022 election, with a greater number of unfavorable than favorable views of all seven political figures included in the survey.

Among registered voters, 40 percent say they would vote to reelect Governor Tony Evers, while 53 percent would vote for someone else and six percent say they don’t know or decline to say.

[<< Photo of Marquette University Law School Building.]

For U.S. Senator Ron Johnson, 38 percent say they would vote to reelect him, 52 percent would vote for someone else, and 10 percent say they don’t know or decline to answer.

Evers’ job approval stands at 45 percent, while 46 percent disapprove.

When last measured in August 2021, 50 percent approved and 43 percent disapproved.

Evers is viewed favorably by 42 percent and unfavorably by 45 percent, with 13 percent saying they don’t know enough about him or don’t have an opinion. For Johnson, 36 percent have a favorable opinion, 42 percent have an unfavorable opinion, and 22 percent say they don’t know enough or don’t have an opinion. In August, Evers was seen favorably by 46 percent and unfavorably by 42 percent, while Johnson was viewed favorably by 35 percent and unfavorably by 42 percent.

Both Evers and Johnson have spoken frequently about the coronavirus pandemic. Fifty-three percent say they trust Evers as a source of information about the virus either a great deal or a fair amount, while 45 percent say they trust him not much or not at all.

Thirty-nine percent trust Johnson a great deal or a fair amount for coronavirus information, while 54 percent say they trust him not much or not at all.

Approval of Evers’ handing of the pandemic is 53 percent, with 40 percent disapproval. In August, 54 percent approved and 39 percent disapproved.

President Joe Biden’s job approval rating has declined to 43 percent, with 53 percent saying they disapprove and four percent say they don’t know. His job approval is down from 49 percent in August, when 46 percent disapproved.

Thirty-nine percent approve of how Biden is handling the economy, with 56 percent disapproving and five percent saying they don’t know.

On his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, 50 percent approve, 46 percent disapprove, and three percent say they don’t know. In August, 46 percent approved of Biden’s handling of the economy and 48% disapproved. His August approval for handling the pandemic was 54 percent, with disapproval at 42 percent.

While Biden’s job approval rating has fallen, he leads former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical 2024 rematch, with 45 percent for Biden to 41 percent for Trump. Eleven percent of respondents say they would vote for neither, and three percent say they don’t know. In the final Marquette Law School Poll before the 2020 election, among all registered voters, Biden was supported by 47 percent, as opposed to 43 percent for Trump. Biden won Wisconsin in the 2020 election by 0.6 percentage points, 49.4 percent to 48.8 percent.

Senator Tammy Baldwin is viewed favorably by 38 percent and unfavorably by 39 percent, while 22 percent do not have an opinion. In August, she was viewed favorably by 40 percent and unfavorably by 38 percent, with 22 percent not offering an opinion.

Other political figures also were viewed more unfavorably than favorably.

• Biden is given a favorable rating by 44 percent and an unfavorable rating by 52 percent, with four percent unable to give a rating.

• Vice President Kamala Harris is seen favorably by 39 percent and unfavorably by 47 percent, with 14 percent unable to give a rating.

• Trump is rated favorably by 38 percent and unfavorably by 57 percent, with five percent not rating him.

• Former Vice President Mike Pence is seen favorably by 38 percent and unfavorably by 42 percent, with 20 percent not giving a rating.