Here & Now

Wisconsin Survey Reveals Post-Primary Voter Preferences

THE WISCONSIN SURVEY IS A PROJECT OF ST. NORBERT COLLEGE, WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO AND WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION. THIS WEEK IT PROVIDED A POST PRIMARY LOOK AT STATE VOTER PREFERENCES IN THE PRESIDENTIAL AND U.S. SENATE RACES. HERE AND NOW’S ANDY SOTH HAS THE HIGHLIGHTS.

BERNIE SANDERS:

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

TED CRUZ:

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

ANDY SOTH:

WITH THE STATE’S PRIMARY BEHIND US THE WISCONSIN SURVEY ASKED VOTERS TO LOOK AHEAD TO THE COMING PARTY CONVENTIONS AND FALL GENERAL ELECTION. TED CRUZ’S VICTORY HERE MADE IT HARDER FOR DONALD TRUMP BY INCREASING THE CHANCE OF AN OPEN CONVENTION. THE SURVEY ASKED VOTERS IF TRUMP’S NOT THE NOMINEE, SHOULD THE PARTY CHOOSE SOMEONE NEW. A MAJORITY THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE A CANDIDATE WHO HAS ALREADY BEEN IN THE RUNNING. BUT THAT SENTIMENT DIDN’T TRANSLATE INTO SUPPORT FOR FORMER CANDIDATE SCOTT WALKER’S NOMINATION. MORE THAN 2/3 OPPOSED A PRESIDENTIAL NOD FOR THE GOVERNOR. PROSPECTS FOR NON-CANDIDATE PAUL RYAN WERE SOMEWHAT MORE PROMISING. THOUGH A MAJORITY AGREE WITH SPEAKER RYAN’S STATED PREFERENCE THAT HE NOT BE THE NOMINEE. IF DONALD TRUMP DOES EMERGE WITH THE GOP NOMINATION HIS PROSPECTS FOR WINNING WISCONSIN IN THE GENERAL ELECTION LOOK DIM FROM HERE. SURVEYED VOTERS WOULD PREFER HILLARY CLINTON BY 12 POINTS OVER TRUMP AND WISCONSIN PRIMARY VICTOR BERNIE SANDERS BY NEARLY 20 POINTS. REPUBLICAN STATE WINNER TED CRUZ DOES SOMEWHAT BETTER TRAILING SANDERS BY ABOUT HALF OF HIS MARGIN OVER TRUMP. AND THE ONLY CLOSE CONTEST IS A HILLARY CLINTON, TED CRUZ MATCH-UP WITH CLINTON’S ONE POINT LEAD FALLING WITHIN THE SURVEY’S PLUS OR MINUS 4% MARGIN OF ERROR. ONE RACE TO BE ENTIRELY DECIDED IN WISCONSIN IS FOR U.S. SENATE. CHALLENGER RUSS FEINGOLD HOLDS A 10-POINT LEAD IN THE EXPECTED REMATCH WITH INCUMBENT SENATOR RON JOHNSON. CONTROVERSY OVER HEARINGS FOR SUPREME COURT NOMINEE MERRICK GARLAND MAY NOT HELP JOHNSON. A MAJORITY WANT TO SEE HEARINGS GO FORWARD. SENATOR JOHNSON’S VIEW IS TO HAVE THE NEXT PRESIDENT DECIDE. BUT EVEN THIS LATE INTO THE CAMPAIGN WHO THAT IS LIKELY TO BE REMAINS A WIDE OPEN QUESTION.