Poll: Wisconsin Democrat Governor Tony Evers in Reelection Trouble

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers (D) is facing an uphill battle for reelection, according to a poll released Monday.

The survey, conducted July 6-8 by Cygnal, found 52 percent of likely voters think it’s “time for someone new,” while 45 percent said the first-term governor deserves another term. Evers defeated former Gov. Scott Walker (R) in 2018 by 1.1 percentage points.

Respondents hold a net-unfavorable view (-4) of Evers’ job performance, according to the poll of 640 likely general election voters. Those surveyed believe the state is on the wrong track more so than the country: 60 percent said Wisconsin is heading in the wrong direction, while 56 percent believe America is.

According to the poll, a generic Republican challenger is statistically tied with Evers, 48 percent to 47 percent.

Likely voters are most worried about inflation (80 percent), trouble attracting workers (76 percent), and a spike in crime in their area (57 percent).

“I’d be worried if I was Governor Evers,” Cygnal CEO and Founder Brent Buchanan said in a news release. “Voters clearly aren’t happy with the direction he’s taken the state. When it comes to putting Republicans in Governors’ seats, Wisconsin is ripe for the picking.”

Another Midwestern governor Cygnal deemed vulnerable is Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer (D).

An early June poll found a generic Republican besting the incumbent 52 percent to 41 percent. Just 40.8 percent said Whitmer deserves to be reelected, while 55.5 percent said it is “time for someone new.”

“While most Governors in the country – regardless of party affiliation – came out of the pandemic with strong marks for their leadership, Governor Whitmer appears to have used it as an opportunity to make voters like her less,” Buchanan said when the poll was released.

“Heck, only 41 percent believe Whitmer should be re-elected. That’s a rough place to be seventeen months from Election Day.”

Buchanan told Breitbart News his firm’s polling takes into account anticipated turnout figures, based on historical voter enthusiasm when an incumbent governor is running for reelection while a president from the same party is in the White House.

In this situation, according to the survey model, a challenger’s supporters are more motivated to vote than an incumbent’s.

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.