In new CBS polling, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) is just one percent ahead of Democratic challenger and current Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes, which is well within the margin of error, indicating the race is basically tied according to this poll.
Johnson nabbed half of the support, while Barnes had 49 percent. Throughout the general election season in Wisconsin, polling has shown a shifting but close race. Two of the most recent polls cataloged by the elections data and analysis site FiveThirtyEight show Barnes tied with Johnson and Johnson leading by four percent — so the outcome remains especially unclear. In the CBS polling, it appeared support for reproductive rights was among the key factors boosting support for Barnes. Among likely voters backing Barnes, 73 percent cited his stance on abortion as a reason for their support.
During a recent debate, Barnes tore into past comments from Johnson dismissing the threat of restrictions on abortion. Johnson has expressed support for making decisions about abortion at the state level now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, but he could change his stance and support a national 15-week abortion ban recently proposed by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) — especially if Johnson nabs re-election and won’t be facing voters for another six years, if he even runs again. There’s also nothing indicating that making decisions at the state level is an incontrovertibly solid choice. Would Johnson have supported restrictions on the civil rights held by Black communities in Southern states during earlier eras? “State’s rights,” after all — right?
“Now, the Senator called the overturning of Roe v. Wade a victory,” Barnes observed during the recent debate. “He celebrated the Dobbs decision. And he said that if women don’t like the laws of their state, like the 1849 criminal abortion ban we have here, he said they can move. I can’t think of a more callous, out-of-touch, or extreme position to take. If I were in the U.S. Senate, I would absolutely vote to codify Roe v. Wade, to protect the right to an abortion and the right to choose into law once and for all, to protect women’s rights.” Johnson also continues essentially covering for participants in last year’s Trump-incited mob attack on the Capitol, having recently yet again contested describing the event as an armed insurrection — even though people were armed and used weapons other than guns as seriously impactful threats against police.
