MILWAUKEE — A majority of Wisconsin voters, 54%, do not want Gov. Tony Evers to seek a third term in 2026, while 46% support another run, according to a new Marquette University Law School Poll released Wednesday. The survey, conducted from June 10-19, 2025, also shows Evers maintaining a steady approval rating and reveals mixed public sentiment on President Donald Trump’s early policy initiatives, as the 2026 gubernatorial race begins to take shape.
The poll, which interviewed 803 registered Wisconsin voters, found Evers’ job approval at 48%, with 46% disapproving. Among Democrats, 83% support Evers running again, compared to 37% of independents and 7% of Republicans. This split reflects Wisconsin’s polarized political landscape, where Evers has won five statewide elections but faces skepticism about extending his tenure, said Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll.
Evers, first elected in 2018, has not announced whether he will run again. He has repeatedly said he will decide after the state budget is finalized.
Wisconsin’s 2026 gubernatorial election, set for November 3, is expected to be highly competitive. The state, a battleground with a history of close races, saw Trump win by less than one percentage point in 2024. The election will coincide with contests for all eight U.S. House seats, 17 state Senate seats, and all 99 state Assembly seats, amplifying its stakes. Only one former governor, Tommy Thompson, has won a third term, adding historical weight to Evers’ decision.
The Marquette poll also gauged views on Trump’s early executive actions. A majority, 60%, support deporting immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, 60% favor expanding oil and gas production, and 59% back declaring a national emergency due to migrant crossings at the southern border. However, 57% oppose deporting immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years, hold jobs, and have no criminal record. Additionally, 63% support Trump’s order requiring federal agencies to recognize only biological sex as male or female, while 37% oppose it.
Trump’s job approval stands at 48%, with 52% disapproving. Among Republicans, 89% approve, compared to 37% of independents and 9% of Democrats. His cabinet selections have similar approval, with 47% approving and 52% disapproving. Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio has a 43% favorable rating, though 26% of respondents lacked enough information to judge.
Economic concerns emerged, with 58% believing Trump’s policies will increase inflation and 30% expecting a decrease. On tariffs, 58% say they harm the U.S. economy, while 28% believe they help. Partisan divides are evident: 52% of Republicans say tariffs benefit the economy, while 58% of independents and 89% of Democrats say they hurt it.
The Marquette Law School Poll, ranked third-best in the U.S. by 538 with a 2.9-star rating and a 10.0 transparency score, used a hybrid sample from Wisconsin voter registration lists and the SSRS Opinion Panel. The margin of error is +/-4.1 percentage points for registered voters.
Complete poll results, methodology, and data are available at law.marquette.edu/poll.
