Recent polls have shown that Wisconsin voters are leaning toward President Obama and Rep. Tammy Baldwin, who is running for the U.S. Senate, but few have been so heavily in the two Democrats’ favor as one released Monday.
A poll by We Ask America shows that 53 percent of likely voters in the Badger State plan to vote for Mr. Obama, compared with just 41 percent for Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
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The numbers are nearly identical in the state’s Senate race, where Ms. Baldwin has support from 52 percent of likely voters compared with 40 percent for former Gov. Tommy Thompson, the GOP candidate.
Numerous polls indicate that Democratic support in Wisconsin has surged since early August, when Mr. Romney’s selection of Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate helped Republicans draw even in the presidential race and gave them hope of winning the state for the first time since 1984.
At that same point in early August, Mr. Thompson sat as a clear favorite over Ms. Baldwin, with polls showing his lead at as much as 11 points.
The two are vying to replace Democratic Sen. Herb Kohl, who is retiring at the end of his term.
Monday’s We Ask America poll surveyed 1,238 likely voters and found that while Democrats and Republicans in the presidential and Senate races have loyal support from the parties, independent voters favor Mr. Obama by a 13-point margin and Ms. Baldwin by a 17-point margin.
According to the poll, 32 percent of respondents identified themselves as Democrats, while 31 percent said they were Republicans and 37 percent said they were independents.
