MADISON (AP) - Gov. Scott Walker's new campaign strategy attacking Democratic challenger Mary Burke for outsourcing in her family business doesn't appear to have moved many voters yet, according to a poll released Wednesday.
The Marquette University Law School poll showed the race to be a dead heat between the Republican governor and Burke, whose family owns Trek Bicycles. Although Burke has gained some ground among coveted independent voters, the overall numbers were virtually unchanged from May.
One day before the polling began, Walker released a television ad going after Burke over Trek's outsourcing. The ad, which accuses Burke of getting rich off of a company that outsourced jobs to China, triggered a strong response from Trek and a full-page newspaper ad defending the company on Sunday.
Walker's focus on outsourcing and Burke's record at Trek are sure to be a central part of the campaign between now and November. Walker, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, is seeking a second term. Burke, a former executive at Trek and state Commerce secretary, is running her first statewide campaign.
Walker released a second television ad attacking Burke on outsourcing Monday. The state Republican Party filed a complaint saying that was an illegal campaign contribution Tuesday. On Wednesday, the party unveiled new billboards in Rhinelander, La Crosse, and Oshkosh showing a picture of Burke and an image of China that say "Mary Burke Outsourced Wisconsin Jobs."
The governor stood by his outsourcing ads on Wednesday.
"We're laying out the facts," Walker said after visiting the Republican Party district office in Madison. "We're not criticizing outsourcing itself."
Burke has said Walker doesn't understand global economics and is disparaging a great Wisconsin company.
But Walker called her a hypocrite because she was criticizing Walker's economic development agency for giving state money to companies that sent jobs overseas, the same thing that happened at Trek.
"Our point is if you're going to make the centerpiece of your campaign your time helping to create the family business ... you don't just get to take credit for it," Walker said. "You should take responsibility for it."
Mary Burke's father John Burke started Trek in Waterloo in the 1970s. It employs 1,800 people worldwide, including 1,000 in Wisconsin, and is the world's second-largest bike manufacturer. While a small number of bikes are still made in Wisconsin, the majority are built at plants in China, Germany and Holland.
Burke's campaign spokesman Joe Zepecki issued a statement praising the latest poll results, saying they help to explain why Walker is going after Trek with a "barrage of attacks."
Walker, when asked about the poll, acknowledged that the race was "incredibly tight."
The Marquette poll showed Walker had 46 percent support among registered voters, compared with 45 percent for Burke. That is within the poll's 3.5 percentage point margin of error. Last month Walker and Burke were tied among registered voters.
Among likely voters, Burke led Walker 46 percent to 45 percent. On that question the error margin was 4.3 percentage points. In May, Walker had a 3-point lead.
In positive news for Burke, the poll shows she is gaining ground with the coveted independent voters. In May, Walker led independents 49 percent to 40 percent. This month his lead shrank to just 45 percent to 44 percent.
The latest poll of 804 registered voters was done between July 17 and Sunday.
The Marquette University Law School poll showed the race to be a dead heat between the Republican governor and Burke, whose family owns Trek Bicycles. Although Burke has gained some ground among coveted independent voters, the overall numbers were virtually unchanged from May.
One day before the polling began, Walker released a television ad going after Burke over Trek's outsourcing. The ad, which accuses Burke of getting rich off of a company that outsourced jobs to China, triggered a strong response from Trek and a full-page newspaper ad defending the company on Sunday.
Walker's focus on outsourcing and Burke's record at Trek are sure to be a central part of the campaign between now and November. Walker, a potential 2016 presidential candidate, is seeking a second term. Burke, a former executive at Trek and state Commerce secretary, is running her first statewide campaign.
Walker released a second television ad attacking Burke on outsourcing Monday. The state Republican Party filed a complaint saying that was an illegal campaign contribution Tuesday. On Wednesday, the party unveiled new billboards in Rhinelander, La Crosse, and Oshkosh showing a picture of Burke and an image of China that say "Mary Burke Outsourced Wisconsin Jobs."
The governor stood by his outsourcing ads on Wednesday.
"We're laying out the facts," Walker said after visiting the Republican Party district office in Madison. "We're not criticizing outsourcing itself."
Burke has said Walker doesn't understand global economics and is disparaging a great Wisconsin company.
But Walker called her a hypocrite because she was criticizing Walker's economic development agency for giving state money to companies that sent jobs overseas, the same thing that happened at Trek.
"Our point is if you're going to make the centerpiece of your campaign your time helping to create the family business ... you don't just get to take credit for it," Walker said. "You should take responsibility for it."
Mary Burke's father John Burke started Trek in Waterloo in the 1970s. It employs 1,800 people worldwide, including 1,000 in Wisconsin, and is the world's second-largest bike manufacturer. While a small number of bikes are still made in Wisconsin, the majority are built at plants in China, Germany and Holland.
Burke's campaign spokesman Joe Zepecki issued a statement praising the latest poll results, saying they help to explain why Walker is going after Trek with a "barrage of attacks."
Walker, when asked about the poll, acknowledged that the race was "incredibly tight."
The Marquette poll showed Walker had 46 percent support among registered voters, compared with 45 percent for Burke. That is within the poll's 3.5 percentage point margin of error. Last month Walker and Burke were tied among registered voters.
Among likely voters, Burke led Walker 46 percent to 45 percent. On that question the error margin was 4.3 percentage points. In May, Walker had a 3-point lead.
In positive news for Burke, the poll shows she is gaining ground with the coveted independent voters. In May, Walker led independents 49 percent to 40 percent. This month his lead shrank to just 45 percent to 44 percent.
The latest poll of 804 registered voters was done between July 17 and Sunday.