President 2012 Wisconsin Poll Watch: Obama is Weaker Than 2008 But Solid?
I don’t know about the solid part in the latest PPP poll.
Wisconsin is one state where Barack Obama definitely seems to be weaker than he was in 2008, but he would still win it comfortably if he had to stand for election today if not quite by the lofty margin he did last time around.
Favorable Vs. Unfavorable:
- Obama – 49% Vs. 45%
- Ryan – 36% Vs. 35%
- Huckabee – 34% Vs. 37%
- Romney – 30% Vs. 41%
- Gingrich – 26% Vs. 49%
- Palin 32% Vs. 60%
Heads – Up:
- Obama 48% Vs Huckabee 41%
- Obama 49% Vs. Ryan 40%
- Obama 48% Vs. Romney 38%
- Obama 51% Vs. Gingrich 39%
- Obama 54% Vs Palin 35%
President Obama won Wisconsin by 14 points in 2008 and the GOP will need to win this state to be competitive in the Electoral College. Is there any wonder why Obama has stayed away from the Wisconsin public employee union flap? He is smart to stay out of it and not let it increase his negatives.
Obama’s approval rating in the state is 49% with 45% of voters disapproving of him. The Democratic base stands pretty universally behind him at 89% approval and independents break slightly in favor of him by a 49/43 spread. Holding him below 50% is that he has virtually no support from Republicans, only 10% of whom approve of his job performance.
Obama took Wisconsin by 14 points in 2008, so his margins over Huckabee, Ryan, Romney, and Gingrich all represent a tightening from his victory over John McCain. Still he appears to be on much more solid ground in the state than Democrats were in 2000 or 2004. As for Palin Wisconsin makes for another of her ‘Goldwater’ states- her 19 point deficit would be the biggest loss for a Republican in the state since the party lost by 24 points in 1964.