Poll shows Scott Walker in dead heat in Wisconsin reelection race

A poll released Wednesday by the Marquette University Law School showed incumbent Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) in a dead heat with his challenger, state schools Superintendent Tony Evers (D).

Among likely voters, 46 percent say they would support Walker and 46 percent say they would support Evers. Only two percent say they lack a preference or do not lean toward one candidate or the other. The margin of error was of +/- 4.5 percent.

Meanwhile, among registered voters, Walker was also in a dead heat, leading 46 percent to Evers’ 44 percent, well within the margin of error of +/- 4 percent.

{mosads} Walker’s favorability ratings have stayed in the high-40s since March, the Marquette polls showed, while his disapproval ratings have stayed around the mid-40s.

Evers won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in August, at a time when Democrats in Wisconsin are riding the momentum from winning several special elections for state legislative seats and a state Supreme Court seat. 

A potential wild card in the race is Libertarian candidate Phil Anderson. He receives six percent of likely voters’ support and seven percent of registered voters’ support, more than making up the difference between Evers and Walker. 

An average of all polls of an Evers-Walker match-up compiled by Real Clear Politics shows Evers with a 6.3 point advantage, but The Cook Political Report lists the race as “Lean Republican.”

The polls were based on phone interviews with 800 registered Wisconsin voters conducted on August 15-19.