No Clear Favorite Yet in Wisconsin Governor Race with Many Undecided

Republican Scott Walker, the Milwaukee county executive, leads Democrat Tom Barrett, Milwaukee's mayor, in the race to succeed Wisconsin's Democratic governor, Jim Doyle, while former Rep. Mark Neumann runs neck-and-neck with Barrett, according to a Wisconsin Policy Research Institute poll conducted March 7-9. But the percentage of support for each candidate at this point is almost matched by the number of undecideds.

Walker runs ahead of Barrett by 36 percent to 32 percent, with 31 percent undecided.

Barrett and Neumann split the vote at 34 percent each, with 30 percent undecided.

Roughly 3 in 10 voters say they have never heard of any of the candidates.


Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle, who like many state executives had had to struggle with budget problems caused by the sour economy, decided not to seek re-election.

WPRI says "Walker's lead is driven by the huge advantage he has in the Milwaukee media market, which comprises a little over 40 percent of the survey's likely Republican primary electorate. Walker leads 69 to 19 in the Milwaukee media market and the two split the Republican primary vote in the rest of the state."

As far as who gets the GOP nomination, Walker leads Neumann 46 percent to 27 percent with 27 percent undecided.

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