Though it’s still early, polling shows Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker in a statistical dead heat:
The statewide poll found 44% of likely primary voters saying they favored Walker vs. 43% for Barrett, with 13% undecided, according to the poll. Walker is an announced Republican candidate for governor. Barrett, a Democrat, has not said whether he’s interested in running for governor.
The poll was done this week for Walker’s campaign by the Tarrance Group, a national polling firm for Republican candidates. The firm interviewed 800 likely primary election voters Tuesday and Wednesday. The results had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
The mayor’s numbers were likely inflated by the massive publicity this week about his intervention in a domestic dispute, according to pollster Brian Tringali. Barrett was beaten by a man with a tire iron after the mayor heard cries for help and tried to call 911.
There’s no doubt Mayor Barrett’s intervention in said domestic dispute has led to a massive amount of publicity, but if I were the Walker for Governor campaign, I’d be more than a little worried that a man who hasn’t even said he’s thinking about running for governor is polling at his level, especially given the fact that Walker has spent months traveling the stating tooting his own gubernatorial horn.
Wow…seriously dude, Paul Soglin’s read was closer to the truth. The above poll is B.S. when it comes to any sort of general election. I mean, come on, were you believing October 2007 polling showing Rudy v. Hillary too?
The poll is out for the following reason: To Raise Money.
Seriously dude, as I said in my post, it’s still early.
And if Walker released the poll to raise money, that’s a pretty weak fundraising appeal.
Not surprising that the numbers would be pretty close. Upstate R’s likely don’t know much about Walker but presumably will support him when gets the nomination. This is less true for Barrett since Milwaukee and probably Madison already knows him. With Doyle in the race more moderate & upstate R’s would have been energized & gotten to the polls – it’s a much tougher race for the Republicans without him no matter who gets the nomination.
Here’s to hoping for a good campaign – about the ideas and the issues and not about the slime. I’m honestly so happy Doyle is out that any outcome is better than what we’ve had.
Yeah, I’m not shedding a lot of tears now that Doyle’s out of the race. The chances of Dems retaining the governorship just got a little better.