WASHINGTON, D.C. – Wisconsinites are concerned about Sen. Ron Johnson’s business dealings and disapprove of his priorities as Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, according to a new poll commissioned by the Congressional Integrity Project.
View Poll Toplines HERE; Presentation HERE and Memo HERE
Johnson’s companies have secured millions in government subsidies for his family business despite his rhetoric against special tax deals. He also personally benefited from the 2017 Republican tax plan thanks to provisions he personally championed. The poll also found that Wisconsin voters do not support Johnson’s crusade for baseless political investigation and instead should use his position to increase election security and address the ongoing pandemic.
“For years, Senator Johnson has put his personal finances and political interests ahead of his constituents – and the people of Wisconsin are sick of it,” said Kyle Herrig, executive director of the Congressional Integrity Project. “This poll should serve as a wakeup call to Senator Johnson: you can’t put yourself first and your constituents last and expect to get away with it.”
Topline findings include:
- Ron Johnson’s favorability and job approval are underwater. Less than four-in-10 voters have a favorable view of Senator Ron Johnson (38% favorable/43% unfavorable). His job approval rating is also underwater (41% positive/47% negative), especially among independents (37% positive/51% negative).
- Ron Johnson’s business dealings raise serious concerns for Wisconsin voters. When presented with statements about Ron Johnson’s own business dealings, there are serious concerns involving Johnson’s own company, Pacur. The vast majority of voters are concerned about Pacur receiving government subsidies even while Johnson has railed against them (71%), that Ron Johnson sold his stake in Pacur to a private equity company before stocks plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic, that Johnson personally benefited from the Republican tax law by pushing for provisions that would benefit Pacur, and that he didn’t fulfill his promise to put his assets into a blind trust when taking office.
- Election security and the coronavirus pandemic should be top priorities for Johnson’s Homeland Security Committee. When asked how much of a priority a number of issues should be for the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, the committee that Ron Johnson serves as Chairman of, the vast majority of voters say that “strengthening our election security and safeguarding our elections from foreign interference” (81%) and providing “oversight of the government’s emergency response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic” (72%) should be high priorities.
Global Strategy Group conducted a survey of 600 likely general election voters in Wisconsin between July 11th and July 17th, 2020. Interviews were conducted by phone with a margin of error of +/-4.0%.
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