Poll shows smaller majority supports 'safer at home' order

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A majority of Wisconsin residents still support the "safer at home" order issued by Gov. Tony Evers in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but that support is down from where it was six weeks ago.

That is what the latest Marquette University Law School Poll released Tuesday found.

“That’s a big change from a month ago from March, when fully 86 percent said it was appropriate and just 10 percent said it was an overreaction,” poll director Charles Franklin said.

But in May, 59% said "safer at home" was appropriate. 

In March, 71% of respondents thought normalcy would return by August, but just 38% think that now. 

That change is coming from Republicans. Only 24 percent of Republican voters trust Evers over Republican lawmakers to make decisions on opening the state again. 81 percent of Democrats trust Evers more than lawmakers.

Overall, 53 percent of voters trust Gov. Evers more than GOP lawmakers when it comes to reopening the state.

“The legislature is a kind of amorphous body, while the governor is a particular person,” Franklin gave as a possible answer for the discrepancy. “While the legislature has sued for greater involvement or control over policy making. So far as I know, they have not put forward their own proposals.”

Support for executives handling the virus is dropping, but 64 percent still approve of Evers. Donald Trump has fallen underwater, with 44 percent approving and 51 percent disapproving of his job. Franklin says that is consistent in most states across the country.

“Some of this is the nature of governors who are in more direct day to day contact with what’s going on in their state,” Franklin said.

The presidential race is just as tight as last months poll. Joe Biden still leads Donald Trump by three points.