WASHINGTON —Wisconsin’s top Democratic U.S. senate candidates are battling for the support of a large number of undecided voters with just four weeks left until the state’s primary. 

The most recent Marquette Law School poll found 32% of Democratic voters are still on the fence.

“We saw in 2018, with a similarly large Democratic field, that it took until July before a lot of people tuned into that race and started to settle on their choices and even get to know some of the candidates,” Dr. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll said. “So I don't think we're abnormally late at this point but it is striking that in a major primary — a month out — that still a third of people haven't made up their minds.”

The large number of undecided voters is giving hope to each of the top four Democrats in the race. State Treasurer Sarah Godlewski, who is polling at 9%, is banking on her status as the only woman in the top tier of candidates to help her win the votes of Democratic women. Her latest tv spot titled “What He Wants” was an appeal built around the Supreme Court overturning the constitutional right to abortions.

“We know the [Roe v. Wade] verdict was a big impact here for Wisconsinites,” Godlewski said. “Now, half the population has fewer rights than they had just a few weeks ago. And as the only woman in this campaign, the people are really looking at ‘who's going to fight for my reproductive freedom?’ And no one will fight harder than I will.”

Like Godlewski, Milwaukee Bucks executive Alex Lasry also has spent a good amount of his own money on his senate bid and it’s paying off. The poll shows 21% of Democratic voters backing him. Lasry says he’s doing well because people want change.

“Whether it's raising wages, or creating good paying union jobs, or bringing investment to this state, voters have seen that we've been able to actually deliver,” Lasry said. “And I think that's what people want. They're tired of career politicians who don't have a track record of delivering what they want and someone who's going to be able to go to Washington cut through the politics and the partisanship and be able to actually represent them.”

Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, who’s holding a now-narrow lead at 25%, has kept a tight hold on spending until now. He’s launching an ad blitz in the final weeks of the primary, releasing his third tv spot on Tuesday.

“One of the biggest differences in my campaign and others is that there are a few who's invested personal resources, personal wealth into the campaign,” Barnes said.  “At the same time, our average donation is around $35, $40. We received over 130,000 individual contributions. And that's the type of momentum that is going to propel us into victory over [Sen. Ron] Johnson this November.”

Outagamie county executive Tom Nelson hopes the large number of undecided voters presents the opportunity for an upset. He’s in fourth place at 7% and like Barnes,  he’s been holding off on substantial spending for this moment.
“People are just beginning to tune in and they realize that the top issue here is who can beat Ron Johnson?” Nelson said. “I think we've made a strong case. Because I'm the only one from a red part of the state who has won election and reelection six times — three as a legislator, three as a county executive. And no one else can touch that experience.”

The poll shows incumbent Senator Ron Johnson with low favorability numbers but more than 80% of Republicans surveyed said they’ll still vote for him.

A narrow margin for Democrats hoping to win crossover support in November.