Republicans are leading in Wisconsin's key midterm races among independent voters, according to a poll in the crucial battleground state.
A new AARP survey found that Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., has a five-point edge, 51% to 46%, over Democratic opponent Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, in the Wisconsin's Senate race. Johnson also secured a 10-point lead over Barnes among likely Independent voters.
Republican nominee Tim Michels, who just contributed an additional $5 million of his own money into his race for governor, is leading against Democratic incumbent Gov. Tony Evers, D-Wis., by three percentage points, 50% to 47%, with a seven-point lead among Independents.
INDEPENDENTS IN KEY BATTLE GROUND STATES FAR MORE ALIGNED WITH REPUBLICANS THAN DEMOCRATS
Republicans are also leading on the generic congressional ballot in Wisconsin with 50% support over the Democrats' 45% support. Among independent respondents, the GOP was the preferred party to 49%, while only 39% in the state plan on voting Democrat this fall.
DUELING WISCONSIN SENATE CANDIDATES WANT TO ‘SUPPORT LAW ENFORCEMENT’ IN KEY MIDTERM STATE
Despite the poll finding that 65% of registered voters in Wisconsin are very worried about their financial situation in the midst of the economic recession, 82% of Democrat voters over the age of 50 said that abortion was more important than inflation when deciding their vote for the Senate. Nearly 90% of Republican voters and 55% of Independents over 50 said that inflation was a higher priority than abortion going into the midterms.
Democrats have spent approximately $124 million campaigning on abortion this cycle, expressing their discord with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the power to the states to place restrictions on abortion. Following the SCOTUS decision in June, Democratic voters in several prominent midterm states have placed abortion at the forefront of issues that matter most when deciding on a candidate this fall.
According to the poll, former President Donald Trump received a higher approval rating than President Biden, 48% to 45%.
The AARP poll was conducted from Sept. 18 to 25 with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
