The first Marquette Law Poll of 2017 found that 41 percent of registered voters in Wisconsin approved of the job President Donald Trump is doing, while 47 percent disapprove.
The city of Milwaukee had low approval ratings of Trump, with 19 percent approving and 63 percent disapproving.
Trump has an increased favorability rating compared to the previous Marquette Law Poll from late October 2016. The new poll found that 42 percent of respondents view him favorably and 48 percent unfavorably, compared to 33 percent and 62 percent, respectively, in October.
Views of Trump’s judgment also improved, with 33 percent of voters saying he shows good judgment and 62 percent saying he does not. In October, those numbers were 26 percent and 71 percent.
Fifty-five percent of respondents do not believe the phrase “cares about people like me” describes Trump, while 40 percent say it does describe him.
When asked, “Would you be more likely to believe the facts presented by newspaper and television media or would you be more likely to believe the facts presented by elected politicians?,” 57 percent said newspaper and television media, 22 percent said politicians and 18 percent said neither.
There was a partisan divide on the issue of the Russian government influencing the 2016 election. Eighty-three percent of Republicans said they were not at all concerned or not too concerned, while 85 percent of Democrats said they were very or somewhat concerned.
Voters were asked what they would like Congress to do about the 2010 health care reform law. Six percent would like to keep the law as is, 54 percent would keep and improve it, 28 percent would like to repeal and replace the law and 8 percent would repeal and not replace the law.
When the health care reform law was described as “the Affordable Care Act,” 51 percent had a favorable view and 40 percent unfavorable. When the law was described as “Obamacare,” 40 percent had a favorable view and 53 percent unfavorable.
Most respondents, 66 percent, believe undocumented immigrants currently working in the United States should be allowed to stay and eventually apply for citizenship. Seventeen percent believe undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay as guest workers but not apply for citizenship and 14 percent believe these immigrants should be required to leave the U.S.
Regarding Supreme Court appointments, 62 percent of respondents would be willing for their senator to vote for a highly qualified candidate with whom they disagreed, while 27 percent would want their senator to vote against the candidate.
Respondents were split on the overall direction of Wisconsin, with 49 percent saying it is headed in the right direction and 47 percent saying the state is on the wrong path. In August 2016, 45 percent believed Wisconsin was going in the right direction and 51 percent believed it was not.
Gov. Scott Walker received a 45 percent approval rating, a slight increase from the 42 percent he received in the October poll. His disapproval rating also declined, from 51 percent in October to 48 percent.
Speaker Paul Ryan has a 45 percent favorable rating, compared to 47 percent in October, while his disapproval rating increased from 36 to 38 percent.
Sen. Ron Johnson is viewed favorably by 39 percent of respondents and unfavorably by 34 percent, compared to October, when those numbers were 41 percent and 38 percent, respectively.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin had a small increase in favorable viewing, from 37 to 40 percent, with her unfavorable viewing dropping from 37 to 35 percent.
