Poll finds strong support for state actions in response to COVID-19

There’s strong support for the state government’s actions to control the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a poll released Wednesday by the Marquette Law School.

Eighty-six percent of those surveyed said it was appropriate to close schools and businesses, while 10 percent said the actions were an overreaction.

And 79 percent either strongly or somewhat favor a stimulus providing direct cash payments to individuals. Fifteen percent somewhat or strongly disapprove.

Gov. Tony Evers has “an exceptionally high” approval rating for his approach to the pandemic, said poll Director Charles Franklin. Seventy-six percent of voters approve of the way he’s handled the epidemic, and 17 percent said they disapprove.

Fifty-one percent approve of President Donald Trump’s actions, while 46 percent disapprove.

There is strong support for school and business closures and Evers’ actions across party lines, with Democrats more supportive than Republicans.

Approval of how Trump has handled the coronavirus epidemic is “sharply partisan,” according to a summary of the poll.

The poll also took a look at the impacts of the virus.

Nine percent of those surveyed said they have lost a job or been laid off, with an additional 21 percent saying someone else in the family lost employment. And 68 percent reported no job loss in the family.

Work hours have been cut for 22 percent of respondents. Twenty-nine percent said that someone else in their family has seen a reduction in work hours, and 48 percent said no one has had hours cut.

Concerns about the pandemic are high too. Sixty-eight percent said they are very concerned about the epidemic and 25 percent are somewhat concerned. Seventy percent are very or somewhat worried about getting the illness.

Around 70 percent are somewhat worried or very worried about contracting the illness, while 29 percent are not very worried or not at all worried.

The poll found that support for Medicare for All has declined since October.

The percentage of those strongly or somewhat in favor has fallen from 49 percent to 41 percent, and 53 percent are now somewhat opposed or strongly opposed compared to 41 percent in October.

Support for a public option has remained the same at around 60 percent over the period.

The poll surveyed 813 registered Wisconsin voters between March 24 and March 29. The margin of error was 4.2 percentage points.

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