Wisconsin poll: Feingold up 4 points on Johnson

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) holds a narrow lead over vulnerable Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) in a rematch for the competitive Wisconsin Senate seat, a new poll finds Wednesday.

{mosads}The Marquette Law School Poll found Feingold has a 4-point lead, within the survey’s margin of error, over Johnson, 45 percent to 41 percent  among registered voters.

Johnson faces an uphill battle for a district that went for President Obama in both 2008 and 2012, and could be pivotal in which party gains control of the upper chamber.

The poll’s results have barely shifted from a survey in March, when Feingold was leading Johnson by 5 points, 47 percent to 42 percent.

But among likely voters in the general election, Feingold’s lead widens, garnering support from 51 percent, compared to Johnson, who received 42 percent.

The difference between the two voter groups underscores the enthusiasm of Democrats and Republicans. The poll found that 84 percent of Democrats plan to vote in November, while 78 percent of Republicans will cast ballots in general election.

Charles Franklin, professor of law and public policy and director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said that while the likelihood of voting changes throughout a campaign, Republicans right now face an enthusiasm gap. He said voter turnout will be better projected after both parties hold their conventions and officially nominate their standard-bearers.

“The likelihood of voting reflects both personal involvement in politics and current campaign events,” Franklin said, noting that such information won’t come into clearer focus until after Labor Day.

“However, the current data shows the difficulty the Republican Party is currently facing with a sharp drop in enthusiasm for voting this November,” he added. “After the national conventions in July, as both parties attempt to unify and rally their supporters, we will have a better idea how turnout will affect the election.”

The poll was conducted June 9-12 and surveyed 800 registered voters and 666 likely voters via phone. The margin of error for registered voters was 4.4 points and for likely voters was 4.9 points.