Wisconsin: New Polling

At this point, 16 Democrats have announced their candidacy for Governor, meaning a major nomination battle will be settled in the state’s August 14th primary.  Public Policy Polling (1/8-10; 747 WI likely Democratic primary voters) went into the field to determine who are the leading contenders within this large pack of political candidates.  The clear leader is Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers, who attracted 29% support, more than twice the amount of the individual placing second, state Sen. Kathleen Vinehout (D-Alma), who captured 11% just one point ahead of Madison Mayor Paul Soglin.  None of the other seven tested candidates could break the five percent mark. 
 
In another point of good news for Mr. Evers, when the sampling group was asked who they believed would win the party nomination irrespective of who they were supporting, 35% identified him versus only 10% for Mayor Soglin.  The eventual nominee will face two-term Gov. Scott Walker (R), who briefly entered the 2016 presidential campaign but left the race well before 2015 came to an end.

--Jim Ellis