High approval ratings may give politicians comfort, but won’t pay the bills
Delafield, Wis. – The Institute for Reforming Government (IRG) is continuing its public polling project with Napolitan News Service and Scott Rasmussen in 2025, with the focus in this poll on what Wisconsinites want to see from policymakers. RMG Research was one of the most accurate pollsters in Wisconsin’s 2025 Spring Election and the 2024 Fall Election.
Key highlights & Analysis:
Wisconsinites continue to focus on the economy while struggling to lay the building blocks to achieve the American Dream:
- On how they vote, 97% of Wisconsin voters say the economy, 94% say inflation, is very important or somewhat important.
- 46% of all voters (50% GOP, 44% Dems) say the biggest concern for their family is the cost of things their family needs
- Only 28% of Wisconsinites say they have achieved the American dream and 36% of all voters (43% Dems, 29% GOP, 31% Indep.) believe they may never achieve it
- Among those who say will never achieve it, the biggest obstacles are inflation (42%), affordable housing (18%), good paying jobs (17%), and affordable healthcare (12%)
- 22% say the biggest concern their family has is the America in which their children are growing up
The state budget increased state spending by 15%, but spending more taxpayer money is not the solution voters want:
- When asked what the most important issue for state budget, voters identified
- Wasteful State Spending as their top issue (29% all voters, 43% GOP, 16% Dems, 28% Indep)
- Healthcare as the second most important issue (22% of all voters,15% GOP, 29% Dems, 18% Indep)
In our April poll on state spending, we found:
- 81% all voters (67% Dems, 94% GOP, 85% Indep) said cutting wasteful state spending was more important than the 14% who choose increasing state tax revenue
- Regarding state spending growing over time:
- 50% disapproved, 38% approved
- 65% of all voters (46% Dems, 83% GOP, 60% Indep) favored cutting state spending
- 59% all voters (40% Dems, 78% GOP, 56% Indep) favored freezing state spending
- 70% all voters (59% Dems, 81% GOP, 65% Indep) favored limiting state spending increases to inflation plus increase in population
Wisconsin voters continue to seek solutions for pocketbook problems:
- Among issues that have the greatest impact on families, the top 4 across all partisan categories are the economy (38%), inflation (22%), personal finances (18%) and healthcare (14%).
- Across all partisan categories, Immigration, education, abortion, males competing in girl sports are registered in single digits or don’t even register
- When it comes to healthcare, the biggest concerns are the high cost of healthcare (35% all voters, 31% GOP, 40% Dems) and high cost of insurance (24% all voters, 24% GOP, 24% Dems).
- As for housing, 41% are concerned about the high cost of home ownership, and 32% about the high cost of rent. Only 11% identified shortage of available housing as their biggest concern.
- 42% (36% GOP, 49% Dems, 35% Indep) indicate that a good paying job is hard to find as their biggest concern about the job market, whereas 21% believe people do not have the proper training for a good paying job.
- The most concerning issue regarding child care is the high cost of child care for families, (55% all voters, 50% GOP, 61% Dems). Only 10% identified provider pay and only 8% identified provider shortages as the most concerning issue.
Governor Evers continues to enjoy high approval ratings, but voters are mixed on whether they want to see him run for a third term, and some can’t identify his greatest accomplishment. When they do identify a greatest accomplishment, it does not match with the greatest concerns on their minds:
- While he has a healthy 56% approval rating, 58% either want a new candidate or are not sure if he should run again.
- 69% of independents are either unsure or don’t want Governor Evers to seek a third term in office
- 21% of all voters and 32% of independents are unsure of what they think Evers’ greatest accomplishment is
- What are his greatest accomplishments: 25% say increased education funding, 22% say standing up to President Trump, and 17% say signing Republican tax cuts.
