Republicans surge in Wisconsin Senate, governor's races: poll

The Trump-backed Republican candidate for Wisconsin governor, Tim Michels, has inched ahead of his incumbent Democratic opponent, Tony Evers.

Michels leads Evers by a narrow 49%-48% margin among likely voters, in the latest survey from the left-leaning Data for Progress. That lead remains within the +/- 3.0% margin of error, meaning the race is still a statistical tie.

Overall, Michels enjoyed a 45% favorability rating in the state as opposed to 47% who held an unfavorable view of him. A further 7% were undecided. By contrast, more respondents viewed Evers favorably, 48%, but a majority, 51%, disapproved of him. 

The survey also showed Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson holding a commanding 5-point lead over his Democratic challenger, Mandela Barnes, 51% to 46%.

A plurality of respondents, 44%, prioritized economic concerns in the election, while 16% prioritized protecting abortion access. That figure may present a window of opportunity for Republicans who have largely campaigned on combatting inflation and energy prices while Democrats have heavily emphasized their efforts to protect abortion access in the wake of the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court ruling, which overruled both Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.