For the first time since the recall effort began, polls show Gov. Scott Walker losing in head-to-head races against other potential recall candidates, according to report released by Public Policy Polling last week.
With the exception of former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who leads Walker 52 to 45 percent but has repeatedly denied an intention to run, all potential candidates polled are within the 3.27 percent margin of error.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who despite speculation has yet to officially announce his candidacy, currently holds a 49 to 46 percent lead over Walker. Former Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, who has declared her candidacy, holds a slight 48-47 percent lead.
All other candidates in the poll, including Wisconsin Secretary of State Doug LaFollete and state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, are losing to Walker within the margin of error.
PPP said in the report Walker’s broad name recognition is an advantage that will likely diminish as the electorate gets to know the Democratic candidates. Among those polled, 29 percent did not know enough about Falk or Barrett to give an opinion.
“Walker’s numbers had been seeing some recovery, but now it appears they’ve turned back in the wrong direction,” said Public Policy Polling President Dean Debnam in the report. “The big question now is whether Democrats can find a candidate to take advantage of Walker’s vulnerability.”
Another PPP poll released last week shows the only Democratic candidate for Sen. Herb Kohl’s vacated Senate seat, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., has pulled slightly ahead of former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson 46-45 percent.
Baldwin also leads the other two Republican candidates, former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann, R-Wis., and House Speaker Jeff Fitzgerald, R-Horicon, 47-41 and 47-39 respectively.
Democrats are united behind Tammy Baldwin and Republicans are united behind Tommy Thompson, making this one of those contests that really will be determined by independents,” Debnam said.
According to the poll, Baldwin leads Thompson among independents.
However, Thompson still leads the group in name recognition, with only 16 percent of those polled responding they “have no opinion about their former governor.” Baldwin remains the second most well-known candidate with 38 percent of people unsure about her.
