Early Wisconsin recall exit polls show Obama has edge over Romney in presidential race

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(CBS News) Voters in Wisconsin are deciding today whether to recall their governor, but many are looking to the race to provide clues into the presidential election this November. And early CBS News exit polls show that President Obama would have an advantage over presumptive Republican nominee Mitt Romney in the battleground state if the presidential race was held today.

Among voters in today's recall election, 51 percent said they would pick Mr. Obama, compared to 45 percent for Romney. Two percent say they won't vote. However, it should be noted that there is a lot of time before the November elections, and it's too soon to tell what the electorate will be like in five months.

In 2008, Mr. Obama defeated Republican Sen. John McCain by 14 percentage points in Wisconsin.

The recall election in Wisconsin pits Republican Gov. Scott Walker versus Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, in a rematch of their 2010 race. The recall effort was brought about mainly in response to Walker's plan that restricted collective bargaining rights for public union workers. Today, 52 percent of Wisconsin voters in the early exit polls have a favorable view of unions for government workers, while 43 percent have an unfavorable opinion of these unions. Among voters in unions households (public or not), 69 percent view these unions favorably.

On the issue of collective bargaining, 50 percent of Wisconsin voters say they approved of the recent changes to state law that limits collective bargaining for government workers, but 48 percent disapproved of these changes.

In Wisconsin, reports of voter suppression efforts
Will Scott Walker survive Wisconsin recall election?

More generally, 54 percent of Wisconsin voters surveyed think government should generally have a more limited role when it comes to solving problems, compared to 42 percent who said government should do more. These views are similar to November 2010.

The exit polls also showed that 60 percent of Wisconsin voters today said recall elections are only appropriate for official misconduct, while 28 percent think they are suitable for any reason. Nine percent think they are never appropriate.

Fifty-three percent of Barrett's supporters say their vote today was mainly for their candidate, but 45 percent say it was against his opponents. Among Walker's supporters, about nine in 10 describe their vote as mainly for Walker -- only 8 percent say their vote was mainly against his opponents.

As for when voters in Wisconsin made their selections in the race, just 6 percent say they decided on their candidate in the last few days, with 93 percent saying they made up their minds before that.

On the presidential race, the early exit polls also showed that Mr. Obama had an edge over Romney on voters' views of who would better improve the economy - 45 percent to 37 percent. In addition, Mr. Obama was ahead 48 percent to 35 percent on the question of who would be better to help the middle class.

Lastly, the exit poll also asked Wisconsin voters of their views about the Democratic and Republican parties. Forty-seven percent said they had a favorable view of the Democratic Party, with 50 percent saying they had an unfavorable view. A similar forty-seven percent said they had a favorable view of the Republican Party, and 50 percent had an unfavorable view.

More details from the exit polls will be released after the polls close in Wisconsin at 9 p.m. ET.

[infantryman1968]

Early Wisconsin recall exit polls show Obama has edge over Romney in presidential race


LOL!


The same polls that predicted Walker would lose for a 3rd time?

Really?

[lg144]

Ever notice republicans NEVER run budget deficits on spending to help average Americans? They ALWAYS waste taxpayer dollars on things to empty the treasury without helping people. This is strategic by republicans. They do this and then cry the country is broke and we can't afford that! They do this because they NEVER want average americans to thing government can help and enhance them. They ALWAYS use government to help corporations, big oil and the wealthy, not average Americans. This is why republicans ALWAYS speak negatively of government. Wake up people!

This is why they have been on a 30 plus years crusade against governemnt. To convince average Americans that government is no good and cannot do anything positive for them. They use the term Limited Government" what they really mean is republican we limit governments ability to help and enhance the lives of average Americans while enhusiastically supporting corporations, big oil and the super rich.

Can any republican supporter state any republican bill, policy or current political stance that favors struggling Americans over corporations, big oil and the wealthy? Of course this looong list will justify republicans deserving the votes of struggling Americans over President Obama and Democrats, right? Republicans are using playing on the racism against President Obama of some voters to get them to vote republicans. Which ironically is the very party that has blocked and stopped every piece of legislation from President Obama that would help average Americans. This election voters will decide whether to reward the republican party which ahs brazenly worked to keep them jobless or reward President Obama for constantly fighting against them on behaf of average Americans.

Wake Up Voters!

[nonpolitico]

lg144. Did you ever study how the US was created?
No-one ever said at the start of the Great Experiment that GOVERNMENT could solve your problems, in fact there were great divisions with many representatives being Oppposed to Federalists.
The US citizen of 100 years ago had ingrained a sense of independence which is almost gone if you see what the media has dressed up for you as news!
When a worker earns his wages, who ever said that he should let the State or Federal Govt take away his earnings to share with others who did not wish to work for themselves?
Democrats must be desperate if they are using the Race Card against Romney.
Just count how mant Executive Orders Obama has implemented, and you will begin to see which way the US is moving, away from the Liberties and Freedoms underlined by the Constitution, and towards the totalitarian ideas favored by socialst across the globe who want to CONTROL the population whilst at the same time fearing the freedoms that citizens have.
Never mind the religions that keep being spoken about, just re-read your copy of the Constitution/Bill of Rights. and see how much you have to lose or have lost already!

[edfromnebraska]

Hay Democrats, Liberals if you believe the polls in WI, you are dumber than dirt.....Why The Polls in WI had Scott Walker either loosing or at the very least winning buy a 1 or 2 point margin...In other words it was too close to call....Guess what the polls were wrong....It was not close at all. For elections it is considered a huge win by anyone standards. Meaning people lie to people taking polls...The Voters told the Democrats or people taking the polls what they want to hear and then voted for Scott Walker...So if you think Obama will win WI because of what voters are telling the poll people, I suggest that you do not hold your breath, because you may turn RED....LOL

[TeaPartyWarrior]

Liberal Democrats and unionistas woke up a sleeping giant in Wisconsin with their nonsense recall.

Romney will take Wisconsin...........and the presidency.

[Heathergreeneyes]

I am supposed to beleive that "Obama has edge over Romney" from the same reporting that calls this election result "surviving recall"......

This was a landslide victory. Walker won by a larger margin then he won his original election by! So excuse me if I take this "Obama has edge over Romney" report with a little sceptism.

Are you really suggesting that all these people who just voted agianst the unions, are pro Obama supporters?

[luadda22]

While this is nice, I think it is funny and wonder if CBS does this on purpose. Look at the headline links in this section under CBS News Polls , one says "Early Wis. exit poles: Obama has edge over Romney". The one right across from it says "Poll: Romney has slight edge over Obama". Then another one says "25% less likely to back Obama over same-sex marriage", then one right below it says "Poll: majority support same-sex unions". Can't someone make up their mind?

So much for polls huh.

[infantryman1968]

Early Wisconsin recall exit polls show Obama has edge over Romney in presidential race


LOL!

CBS

Nobody tells the truth to the polls about Obama because they dont want to be reported to the DOJ (Holder) / NBPP.

[cbs4111]

If CBS was being totally honest, they would have admitted that the same exit poll had a Walker/Barrett 50-50 tie but we all know that the vote was actually a landslide for Walker. We just can't trust exit polls, can we?

[gunndee3]

What this race shows is that the networks and journalists are projecting their largely liberal bias into their reporting and their polls. I think the coming victory for Romney and Republicans in November will actually be a referendum against the liberal, progressive media machine that's made a mockery of our free speech and free press rights. Media needs to report the news, not edit it to sell their own agenda.

[sharkboy234]

Condoleezza Rice will be vice president!