Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) is 6 points ahead of Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes in a new poll, a sign the Republican has expanded his lead in Wisconsin’s Senate race.
The new Marquette University Law School poll released Wednesday found that 52% support Johnson, while 46% support Barnes. The poll was conducted Oct. 3-9 with 801 registered Wisconsin voters and has a margin of error of 4.3 percentage points.
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Since August, Johnson’s and Barnes’s positions have flipped. Marquette University Law School’s August survey found Barnes was favored by 52% of voters, with Johnson lagging at 46%. In September, Johnson pulled ahead by 1 point, and the vote was split 49%-48%.
The pollster notes that voters were largely interviewed before the state’s Senate debate last Friday, with two days of surveying following the debate.
The poll also found that in the gubernatorial race, incumbent Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is almost tied against Republican Tim Michels. Evers polled at 48%, while Michels came in at 47%.
Barnes, a progressive, has posted major fundraising numbers during the general election campaign. His campaign announced last week that his haul between July and September topped $20 million. Barnes has targeted Johnson’s position on abortion, which Democrats believe to be a winning issue since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.
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Barnes and Johnson will debate again on Thursday night. Control of the 50-50 split in the Senate could come down to a single seat, making every race crucial in determining which party takes the majority next year.
