Wisconsin: Obama 50%, Romney 48%

Wisconsin remains a two-point race following Tuesday night’s presidential debate.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Wisconsin Voters finds President Obama with 50% support, while Mitt Romney earns 48% of the vote. One percent (1%) likes another candidate in the race. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

This race remains a Toss-Up in the Rasmussen Reports Electoral College Projections. Obama defeated Republican John McCain 56% to 42% in Wisconsin in 2008.

The president posted a similar 51% to 49% lead in the state earlier this month. In surveys in Wisconsin since October of last year, the president has earned 44% to 52% of the vote, while Romney’s support has ranged from 41% to 49%.

Ninety-seven percent (97%) of likely Wisconsin voters say they are certain to vote, and the president leads 50% to 48% among this group. 

Wisconsin allows early voting, and among those who have already voted, it’s Romney 54%, Obama 43%. Of those who have yet to vote, 90% say they’ve already decided whom they will support. Obama leads 50% to 49% among these voters.

Both candidates draw more than 90% support from voters in their respective parties in Wisconsin. The president leads by 11 points among voters not affiliated with either of the major parties.

Among all voters in the state, Romney has a 50% to 45% advantage when it comes to whom voters trust more to deal with the economy. Voters are almost evenly divided over whom they trust more to handle national security matters: 47% say Obama, 46% Romney. Among voters nationally, Romney is trusted more by seven points on the economy, while the two candidates run nearly even when it comes to national security.

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This Wisconsin survey of 500 Likely Voters was conducted on October 18, 2012 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

Thirteen percent (13%) of Wisconsin voters give the U.S. economy good marks, while 44% rate it as poor. Forty-two percent (42%) say the economy is getting better, but 36% think it’s getting worse. 

In reacting to the nation’s current economic problems, 39% worry that the federal government will do too much, but slightly more (43%) fear the government will not do enough. Nationally, voters are more evenly divided. Sixty-nine percent (69%) think the government should cut spending to help the economy, while just 16% feel more spending is called for. That’s in line with voter attitudes nationwide.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of Wisconsin voters correctly understand that the United States spends more on the military and national security than any other nation in the world. Eleven percent (11%) don’t think that’s true, but 33% aren’t sure. 

Thirty-five percent (35%) say the government spends too much on the military and national security, while 22% think there isn’t enough defense spending. Thirty-seven percent (37%) say the level of spending in this area is about right. This is a more negative assessment of military and national security spending than is found nationally.

Fifty-one percent of voters in Wisconsin approve of the job the president is doing, while 49% disapprove. This includes 35% who Strongly Approve and 42% who Strongly Disapprove, giving the president a slightly better job approval rating than he earns nationally.

Romney is viewed favorably by 49% and unfavorably by 50%. This includes 34% who have a Very Favorable opinion of him and 34% with a Very Unfavorable one.

In addition to Wisconsin, Colorado, Florida,  Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia are Toss-Ups. Obama is ahead in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Washington. Romney leads in Arizona, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only. 

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