MILWAUKEE — A majority of Wisconsinites feel the state is headed in the wrong direction, according to a new exclusive Spectrum News/Siena College poll released Thursday. Nearly one-third of likely voters, 31%, feel the Badger State is on the right track, while 51% said it is not.

Among those who feel Wisconsin is on the right track, a majority identify as Democrats, while most who believe the state is headed in the wrong direction are Republicans.

Siena College Research Institute Director Don Levy said the results of the poll capture the mood and various hot-button issues, including the economy and reproductive rights.

“Of the voters who think Wisconsin is headed in the right direction, overwhelmingly, remember that is slightly less than a third, they are Evers voters,” Levy explained. “85% of those who said the state is moving in the right direction say 'I'm going to vote for Tony Evers. I like the job he is doing.' However, among those voters, a majority who say the state is moving in the wrong direction, two-thirds of those voters, 68%, say they are going to vote for Tim Michels.”

The perception among likely voters of how Gov. Tony Evers has run the state is not the only factor that could impact his reelection bid, as well as down-ballot races. The job President Joe Biden has done for the last two years could also sway who Wisconsinites choose to send to our nation's capital.

With the Midterms just five days away, even more likely voters reported a negative feeling toward the direction the country is headed. The poll found 65% feel the United States is headed in the wrong direction compared to 26% who feel it is on the right track. Similar to feelings about Wisconsin, opinions about the direction of the nation largely split along party lines.

“Similarly, of those who think the country is on the right track, they overwhelmingly say they are going to vote for Mandela Barnes,” Levy said. “90% of the one-quarter who say the country is okay are voting for Barnes. Remember, two-thirds of Wisconsin voters said 'I think the country is moving in the wrong direction,' and of those, 68% say 'We need a change. We need Republicans in power. I'm going to vote for Ron Johnson.'”

The latest poll also shows a shift from September when Spectrum News last asked Wisconsinites who they would prefer to control Congress after November's election.

According to the results, 40% prefer a House and Senate controlled by Republicans, which is up four points from the previous poll. Those who favor the opposite scenario remained steady at 36%. Only 20% of likely voted said they want a divided Congress where one party controls one of the two chambers.

“Despite this being razor-thin right now, the mood, based on [the] right track [or] wrong direction [question], based on the movement of the race, seems to point towards Republicans potentially having a good night or a good week on what I think we are calling election week now,” Levy added.

The poll has an overall margin of error of +/-4.8%.