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Wisconsin’s Doyle at 41% on Election Year

March 12, 2006

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Support for Jim Doyle fell this month in the Badger State, according to a poll by Strategic Vision. 41 per cent of respondents in Wisconsin approve of their governor's performance, down three points since January.

Doyle—a Democrat—has acted as Wisconsin's governor since January 2003. The former state attorney general defeated Republican incumbent Scott McCallum and Libertarian candidate Ed Thompson in the November 2002 election with 45 per cent of the vote.

On Mar. 10, Doyle signed a bill which mandates all persons seeking a driving license in Wisconsin to show proof of legal residency. The proposal was highly controversial, as some opponents said it could lead to racial profiling, while supporters said a change in state law was required after an amendment to federal legislation. 57 per cent of respondents believe Wisconsin is headed in the wrong direction.

The next gubernatorial election is scheduled for November 2006. In two prospective head-to-head contests, Doyle is tied with United States congressman Mark Green, and holds a four-point lead over Milwaukee County executive Scott Walker.

Since 1951, the Badger State has had six Republican and six Democratic heads of government.

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of Governor Jim Doyle's job performance?

Mar. 2006

Jan. 2006

Dec. 2005

Approve

41%

44%

46%

Disapprove

48%

46%

44%

Undecided

11%

10%

10%

Do you think Wisconsin headed in the right direction or wrong direction?

Mar. 2006

Jan. 2006

Dec. 2005

Right direction

34%

33%

32%

Wrong direction

57%

57%

56%

Undecided

9%

10%

12%

If the election for Governor was held today, and the choice was between Jim Doyle, the Democrat and Mark Green, the Republican, whom would you vote for?

Mar. 2006

Jan. 2006

Dec. 2005

Jim Doyle (D)

44%

44%

45%

Mark Green (R)

44%

43%

43%

If the election for Governor was held today, and the choice was between Jim Doyle, the Democrat and Scott Walker, the Republican, whom would you vote for?

Mar. 2006

Jan. 2006

Dec. 2005

Jim Doyle (D)

44%

45%

46%

Scott Walker (R)

40%

39%

39%

Source: Strategic Vision
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 800 likely Wisconsin voters, conducted from Mar. 3 to Mar. 5, 2006. Margin of error is 3 per cent.