The race for president in Wisconsin has narrowed, with 49 percent supporting Barack Obama and 46 percent Mitt Romney, according to a poll released Wednesday by the Marquette Law School.
“The two-point shift in Romney’s direction is within the margin of error for the poll but suggests Ryan’s addition to the ticket may have slightly increased Romney’s chances in Wisconsin,” Charles Franklin, the Marquette Law School poll's director, said in a statement.
Other Wisconsin polls released in August also either show the race as nearly even, or with a slimmer-than-previous lead for Obama.
Fifty-eight percent of likely Wisconsin voters said Romney's selection of Ryan was "excellent" or "pretty good," while 35 percent rated it more negatively. Ryan's favorable and unfavorable ratings in the state both increased since July, as he gained greater name recognition -- 41 percent now view him favorably and 34 percent unfavorably, with 24 percent still having no opinion.
Down the ballot, newly minted GOP nominee and former governor Tommy Thompson led Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), 50 percent to 41 percent, among likely voters.
The Marquette Law School poll was conducted by live telephone interview between Aug. 16 and 19, surveying 576 likely voters. It had a 4.2 percent margin of error.