Raleigh, N.C. – Though a previous release showed voters were slightly happy with the results of the recent Wisconsin recall elections, that was because Republicans were more happy that they did not lose control of the Senate than Democrats were unhappy that they did not gain a third seat. By a one-point margin (48-47), Wisconsinites would actually prefer that Democrats control that body.
Wisconsin is not particularly eager to see same-sex marriage made legal. Only 39% want that, and half do not. But when voters are given three options, including civil unions, two-thirds want gay couples to at least have the same legal rights as married couples, if not the name. That includes 81% of Democrats, 71% of independents, and even 49% of Republicans.
Wisconsin football fans are pretty confident the Green Bay Packers will win the Super Bowl this season. 55% think they will, and only 22% bet they will not.
Speaking of the Packers, the state is way down on the team’s longtime quarterback Brett Favre, who came out of retirement three years ago to play for the New York Jets and then the rival Minnesota Vikings. Only a third see him favorably, and 54% unfavorably. The state may be divided over politics, but Favre is one thing on which Democrats, Republicans, and independents almost exactly agree.
Unsurprisingly, the Milwaukee Brewers are overwhelmingly the state’s favorite baseball team. 71% claim the Brew Crew as their favorite club among a list of seven other Major League Baseball teams. Way behind are the Chicago Cubs at 8%, the Minnesota Twins at 4%, and the Atlanta (formerly Milwaukee) Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, and New York Yankees all the favorites of 2% of Wisconsin voters, and the St. Louis Cardinals of 1%. 7% favor a different team or are not baseball fans.
PPP surveyed 830 Wisconsin voters from August 12th to 14th. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 3.4%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Would you rather that Democrats or
Republicans had control of the State Senate?
Democrats ……………………………………………… 48%
Republicans ……………………………………………. 47%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 5%
Q2 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Ron
Johnson’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .39%
Disapprove…………. .35%
Not sure …………….. .26%
Q3 Do you approve or disapprove of Senator Herb
Kohl’s job performance?
Approve …………….. .50%
Disapprove…………. .31%
Not sure …………….. .19%
Q4 Do you think same-sex marriage should be
legal or illegal?
Legal……………………………………………………… 39%
Illegal …………………………………………………….. 50%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%
Q5 Which of the following best describes your
opinion on gay marriage: gay couples should
be allowed to legally marry, or gay couples
should be allowed to form civil unions but not
legally marry, or there should be no legal
recognition of a gay couple’s relationship?
Gay couples should be allowed to legally
marry ……………………………………………………..34%
Gay couples should be allowed to form civil
unions but not marry …………………………………33%
There should be no legal recognition of a gay
couple’s relationship …………………………………31%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 1%
Q6 What is your favorite Major League Baseball
team: the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox,
Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee
Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees,
St. Louis Cardinals, or some other team?
Braves …………………………………………………… 2%
Red Sox…………………………………………………. 2%
Cubs ……………………………………………………… 8%
White Sox ………………………………………………. 2%
Brewers …………………………………………………. 71%
Twins……………………………………………………… 4%
Yankees …………………………………………………. 2%
Cardinals………………………………………………… 1%
Some other team/Not a baseball fan…………… 7%
Q7 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Brett Favre?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 33%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 54%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 13%
Q8 Do you think the Green Bay Packers will win
the Super Bowl again this year or not?
They will win …………………………………………… 55%
They will not……………………………………………. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 24%
Q9 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 41%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Someone else/Don’t remember …………………. 8%
Q10 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 11%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 22%
Moderate………………………………………………… 29%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 21%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 17%
Q11 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 55%
Man……………………………………………………….. 45%
Q12 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a Republican,
press 2. If you are an independent or identify
with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 37%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 29%
Q13 If you are white, press 1. If other, press 2.
White …………………………………………………….. 89%
Other……………………………………………………… 11%
Q14 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 26%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 42%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
