Wisconsin: Romney 48%, Obama 47%

The presidential race in Wisconsin is a little tighter this month following Mitt Romney's selection of hometown Congressman Paul Ryan as his running mate.

The latest Rasmussen Reports statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Romney with 48% support to President Obama’s 47%. Three percent (3%) prefer some other candidate, and two percent (2%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

In late July, it was Obama 49%, Romney 46%.  This is the Republican’s largest level of support yet in the Badger State. Prior to this survey, the president has earned 45% to 52% of the vote, while Romney has picked up 41% to 46% of the vote.

The race remains a Toss-up in the Rasmussen Reports Electoral College Projections.

Ryan, who has been a congressman from Wisconsin since 1999, is viewed favorably by 57% of the state’s voters. This finding includes 39% who view Ryan Very Favorably. Thirty-six percent (36%) share an unfavorable view of Ryan, with 23% who view him Very Unfavorably. Five percent (5%) are not familiar with the congressman.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of Wisconsin voters believe Romney made the right choice in tapping Ryan as his running mate, while 30% disagree. A plurality (46%) says they are more likely to vote for Romney now that Ryan is on the ticket, while 31% are less likely to do so. Twenty-two percent (22%) say the Ryan choice has no impact on their support for Romney.

Favorables for Ryan in Wisconsin are similar to those measured on the national level, but voters in his home state are more likely to believe he was the right choice for the Romney ticket.

Romney’s choice of Ryan, the leading GOP congressional budget reformer, puts entitlement programs in the spotlight this election campaign, and 66% of Wisconsin voters view Medicare favorably. That’s comparable to sentiments nationwide.

When asked which scares them more when it comes to the future of Medicare, 48% of Wisconsin voters name the president’s health care plan. Forty-two percent (42%) say Ryan’s Medicare proposal scares them more.

If necessary, 45% of Wisconsin voters say Ryan is ready to be president, but 42% don’t share that view.

Eighty-two percent (82%) of Badger State voters view Ryan as politically conservative, including 52% who say he is Very Conservative.

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The survey of 500 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on August 15, 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. 

Obama beat Senator John McCain in Wisconsin in 2008 with 56% of the vote. Now, 49% of Wisconsin voters approve of the job Obama is doing as president, while 50% disapprove. These numbers include 26% who Strongly Approve of the president’s performance and 40% who Strongly Disapprove of it. Obama’s approval rating in Wisconsin has slipped slightly since July and is more in line with sentiments measured nationwide.

Romney is viewed favorably by 54% of Wisconsin voters and unfavorably by 44%, showing a slight improvement from last month. The latest findings include Very Favorable reviews from 27% and Very Unfavorable ones from 29%. 

Among voters in the state not affiliated with either of the major political parties, 46% pick Romney, while 43% support Obama.

In Wisconsin, just 15% rate the U.S. economy as good or excellent, but that’s up nine points from last month. Forty-five percent (45%) describe the economy as poor. Thirty percent (30%) say the economy is getting better, but 42% think it is getting worse. These figures, too, mark an improvement since July. Wisconsin voters are a bit more positive about the economy compared to adults nationwide

The presidential race is also a Toss-Up in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Ohio and Virginia. Romney leads in North Carolina, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota. Obama is ahead in New Hampshire, Nevada, Michigan and Pennsylvania. 

Rasmussen Reports will release new numbers on Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race tomorrow.

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

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