Scott Walker: Greater public recognition, but not public image

July 28, 2015, 8:07 PM GMT+0

Scott Walker is better known among Republicans, but his favorability rating has not really improved

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker has become somewhat better known by Republicans, but while Republicans in the latest Economist/YouGov Poll make him one of their three top preferences, as well as Republicans’ favorite second choice, Walker hasn’t gained all that much when it comes to their assessment of his presidential qualities.

Four in ten Republicans say they have confidence in Walker’s ability to handle an international crisis, about the same percentage that felt this way in an Economist/YouGov Poll conducted more than four months ago. But fewer Republicans today say Walker has more honesty and integrity now than thought so then. And while 44% today say Walker is qualified to be President, 50% said that in March.

Walker continues to get high scores when Republicans are asked about his ideology. Just over half say he is conservative (less than one in five call him a moderate or a liberal). But more than a third of Republicans continue to say they don’t know how to characterize Walker.

In general, Republicans find Walker’s ideology satisfactory. Only 12% say he is not conservative enough, twice the figure that consider him too conservative. Among the public overall, one in four see Walker as too conservative.

In March “conservative” was the most common characterization of Walker by both those who liked him and those who did not. The picture of him has become more nuanced – at least among Republicans.

Walker scores moderately well on electability. More than a third of Republicans say he is at least somewhat likely to win, though somewhat more disagree. 11% call Walker the most likely GOP nominee, behind only former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and just ahead of Donald Trump, who is leading in polls of Republicans.

What seems to have happened in the months since March, when the last Economist/YouGov Poll that focused on Walker was conducted, is that as Republicans have learned about Walker, both their favorable and unfavorable opinions of him have risen.

That’s true for the public overall, too. Opinion of Walker is evenly divided positively and negatively, as it was in March, though more today express an opinion of him.

See the Economist/YouGov results

Economist/YouGov poll archives can be found here.