Incumbent Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, whose job approval number has dipped under 30 percent, decided not to seek re-election.
Barrett leads former Gov. Tommy Thompson by 46 percent to 41 percent with 14 percent undecided. He is statistically tied with former Rep. Mark Neumann, leading him by 41 percent to 39 percent with 20 percent undecided. He is exactly tied with Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker at 40 percent each with 20 percent undecided. The margin of error is 3.5 percentage points.
While Thompson is best known of the GOP field, he is seen unfavorably by 45 percent to 38 percent with 17 percent undecided.
Thompson has not said whether he would run. "I haven't said no," he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. "I'm looking at it. I'm looking at governor; I'm looking at senator and I'm looking at mayor of Elroy. One of the three." Elroy is his hometown.
A Public Policy Polling survey, also conducted Nov. 20-22, said incumbent Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold led Thompson by 50 percent to 41 percent with 10 percent undecided in a match-up for that seat.
Barrett and Neumann are little known to voters, with 48 percent not knowing enough about Barrett to express a favorable or unfavorable opinion and 57 percent in the same boat when it came to Neumann.




