Poll Shows Ryan Still Unknown to Many in Wisconsin

Janesville Representative Paul Ryan may be a celebrity in the world of Republican politics, but a recent poll suggests he is not all that well-known in his home state of Wisconsin.

Despite all the national attention Ryan has received for his proposed budget in recent years, a July Marquette University poll found 35 percent of Wisconsin voters did not know enough about Ryan to offer an opinion.

Marquette pollster Charles Franklin says it is not unusual for a representative to be unknown outside of his district, “So I think that 35 percent that can’t say whether they have a favorable or unfavorable view is not particularly high. But it is an important reminder that even someone as important as Rep. Ryan is certainly not a household name throughout the state.”

Franklin says the choice of a running mate can historically mean a difference of one to three percent in that person’s home state. In a close election, he says the Ryan pick could sway Wisconsin. However, “It’s worth remembering that presidential elections are almost always, overwhelmingly about the top of the ticket. Vice presidents, by the time everything is said and done, provide only a marginal effect.”

At the very least, Franklin says the Ryan pick likely foreshadows a more spirited fight over Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes.

Another July poll by the Democratic firm Public Policy Polling found that a hypothetical Romney-Ryan ticket improved the GOP’s chances in Wisconsin. In that survey, Romney went from trailing President Obama by six to trailing by just one, once Ryan was his running mate.