MILWAUKEE — As Wisconsinites get ready to cast their ballot in just 27 days, the latest Marquette Law School Poll shows many registered voters lack an opinion on their choices for state Supreme Court.
Among registered voters, Waukesha County Judge Brad Schimel was viewed favorably by 29%, while 32% had an unfavorable view of him.
Meanwhile, Dane County Judge Susan Crawford was seen as favorable by 19% and unfavorable by 23%.
Marquette Law School Poll Director Charles Franklin said such a big lack of familiarity with the two candidates could be because there wasn’t a February primary.
“38% say they don’t know enough about Schimel to know whether they like him or not and 58% say they don’t know enough about Crawford,” Franklin explained. “People have to know what they are voting for, and that takes time, and experience, and news coverage, and all those things. We’ve still got a month to go, but a lot of people have to make up their minds and have to learn something about these candidates in these last four weeks.”
Franklin added that he didn’t do a head-to-head poll in which voters are asked which candidate they prefer because too many people are unfamiliar.
When it comes to some of the policies that have been proposed in Madison, voters favor Gov. Tony Evers’ proposal to make a childcare subsidy that began during the COVID-19 pandemic permanent by a margin of 54% to 45%.
However, when it comes to an $800 million budget increase for the Universities of Wisconsin, 57% are opposed with 42% in favor.
Though state lawmakers have been at odds over the issue in recent years, Wisconsinites overwhelmingly favor extreme risk protection orders, commonly called “red flag” laws. The measure would allow police to take guns from people who a judge deems either a danger to themselves or others.
The latest poll showed 85% support the gun violence prevention measure, with a large majority, 79%, of Republicans in favor, as well as 68% of Independents and 98% of Democrats.
Overall, how the Wisconsin Legislature has handled its job is up five points to 38% from September 2024.
“I think, partly, it’s because we are early in the budget cycle and we’ve come through a period during the election year where legislative elections were a hot topic, but the legislature itself wasn’t meeting and doing things that were controversial,” Franklin added.
The latest poll also showed 48% approve of President Donald Trump’s job performance, while 51% disapprove. Those numbers, however, do fall within the margin of error.
According to the poll, Wisconsin voters are skeptical of tariffs amid the ongoing trade war, as well as of Elon Musk’s DOGE organization.
