PPP(contains PDF) looked the 2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial picture, and found that Scott Walker's approval is 48/49 and that Russ Feingold would have a 2 point lead over him if Feingold ran for Governor. 1,7999 Wisconsin voters were surveyed by PPP from Feb. 21 to 24th and the Margin of Error is 2.3%. It was 52% female, 48% male with 31D, 30R and 39I. Age groups were 12% 18-29, 24% 30-45, 44% 46-65 and 20% 65+.
Walker's approval and disapproval are predictably lopsided among Democrats and Republicans. Walker is underwater in his approval among Independents 45-51, and I suspect that he may move even more underwater as he tries to build his 2016 cred to Republican primary voters. Walker's disapproval is strongest among young voters(18-29) which is 56%. Walker's strongest approval ratio comes from those 30-45 where he has 52/47 and has a barely positive approval among the oldest voters(65+) 49/48. Walker is underwater with the 46-65 crowd 48/50. Also interesting that Walker has solidly underwater among those who call themselves "moderates" 35/61.
PPP found that former Senator Russ Feingold would have a 49-47 lead over Walker. Walker pulls 46-48% of the vote against 5 other Democrats. Walker only has a 4 point lead over Congressman Ron Kind 46-42 and he leads Peter Barca and Jon Erpenbach by similar margins(48-43, 48-42). Barca and Erpenbach are not that well-known statewide but they would be the type of Democrats that would energize progressives to vote. Kind is a "new Democrat" so his DLC ways would likely not excite Democratic voters in Milwaukee and Madison.
This race will be on of the ones that I will be watching in 2014. Derailing Walker's 2016 Presidential hopes would be a very nice bonus on top of removing his brand of Republicanism from office