Johnson leads Barnes in Wisconsin Senate race: poll

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) holds a 5 percentage point lead over Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes in the Wisconsin Senate race, according to a new poll.

An AARP poll commissioned by Fabrizio Ward & Impact Research released on Thursday found Johnson receiving 51 percent support among likely Wisconsin voters, compared to Barnes with 46 percent. Johnson maintained a slimmer lead of 49 percent to Barnes’s 47 percent among voters between the ages of 18 to 49 years old.

But the Wisconsin Republican held a more competitive edge among voters ages 50 years and older with 52 percent, while the Democrat received 45 percent.

Two demographics that polled overwhelmingly for Barnes included voters with at least a college degree (Barnes received 60 percent to Johnson’s 37 percent) and urban voters (62 percent to 35 percent respectively).

The AARP poll also showed a tight race between Gov. Tony Evers (D) and Republican contender Tim Michels. The survey found that 50 percent of likely Wisconsin voters supported Michels compared to 47 percent for the Democratic incumbent.

Among voters between the ages of 18 and 49 years old, both candidates were tied with 49 percent support each, but Michels has an edge among voters ages 50 years and older: The Republican received 51 percent support among that demographic to Evers’s 46 percent.

The two races are seen as some of the most competitive of this midterm cycle, with recent surveys showing Barnes and Johnson polling within the margin of error. The Wisconsin senator is seeking a third term in office but is considered one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents in the Senate. 

The AARP poll was conducted from Sept. 18 to Sept. 25 among 1,399 likely Wisconsin voters. The margin of error for the statewide sample of 500 is plus or minus 4.4 percentage points, while the margin of error for the voter sample size of 855 ages 50 years and older is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.