Democrat Mary Burke (right) is the leading contender to face Gov. Scott Walker in the 2014 election. Credit: Associated Press

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A new Marquette University Law School poll released Monday continues to show a tight race between Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic challenger Mary Burke in the 2014 governor's race, with Walker at 47% and Burke at 41%.

The number may reflect partisanship as much as anything. While voters have strong opinions on the governor — 49% view him favorably and 44% don't — around two-thirds said they haven't heard enough about Burke to form an opinion. Just 12% view Burke favorably and 18% have an unfavorable view.

Burke, a former Trek Bicycle Corp. executive and former state commerce secretary, is the only announced Democrat in the race.

The poll of 802 registered Wisconsin voters was conducted Jan. 20-23. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 31/2 percentage points. About 40% of the poll was conducted on cellphones and seven-eighths of the polling was completed before the governor's "state of the state" address last week.

The results compare with Marquette poll results released in late October that showed Republican Walker had 47% and Burke at 45%.

But beneath the headline numbers in the governor's race, there's a fascinating snapshot of Wisconsin voters who said the state is headed in the right direction yet don't believe that Walker can fulfill his pledge of adding 250,000 jobs in his first term.

Voters also would like to see a cut in their property taxes and wouldn't mind if such cuts are funded by increased income taxes on the wealthy.

Sixty-two percent also favor boosting the $7.25 an hour minimum wage, while 35% are opposed.

Thirty-three percent back a boost to $9 an hour, and 25% support a $10 an hour minimum wage.

"I think you see the makings of a real horse race here," said Charles Franklin, the poll director.

Fifty-four percent said Wisconsin was headed in the right direction and 44% said it was headed on the wrong track.

Forty-nine percent of those polled said the budget situation for the state is better now than it was a few years ago, compared with 26% who said it was the same and 20% who said it was worse.

Yet only 14% in the poll said they believed the state would reach Walker's pledge of creating 250,000 jobs in his first term, while 79% said the target would not be met.

Jobs are a key issue in the campaign. And so are taxes.

And here, the results were fascinating.

Asked which one tax they would like cut, 42% answered the property tax, 34% said the income tax and 22% said the sales tax.

There was almost no difference by income for the preference to cut the property tax, Franklin said.

When it comes to paying for tax cuts, though, voters aren't keen on restructuring taxes, with just 39% willing to increase the sales tax to cut property taxes and 39% accepting increased sales taxes for lower income taxes.

But 64% of those polled were willing to see a boost in income taxes on those earning more than $250,000 so that property taxes could be lowered.

Campaigns respond

The two campaigns had quick reactions to the results.

Wisconsin GOP Executive Director Joe Fadness said in a statement:

"We are pleased that the majority of voters agree that Wisconsin is moving in the right direction, yet we continue to believe that this will be a tight race as out-of-state special interests and a millionaire challenger are ready to spend what it takes to distort Governor Walker's positive reforms."

Fadness added:

"We are confident that voters will continue to stand with Governor Walker, who is moving Wisconsin forward through major tax relief, economic growth and sound fiscal management."

Joe Zepecki, spokesman for the Burke campaign, appeared to downplay the polling that showed Burke trailing.

"Thirty seven. Forty-five. Forty-eight. Three numbers that matter a lot more to Wisconsin's middle class than polling 281 days before an election," Zepecki said in a statement.

"Scott Walker hasn't created the 250,000 new jobs he promised and his economic record — 37th in job creation, 45th in job growth prospects and 48th in new business starts — is nowhere near good enough," Zepecki said.

Zepecki added that as Burke "continues introducing herself to voters as a proven job creator committed to raising the minimum wage, strengthening public schools, making college more affordable, and improving job training programs so that Wisconsin workers have the skills employers need — voters will see the clear choice in this election and vote for new leadership."

Other polling results

In other results:

■Obama approval: Support has ebbed for President Barack Obama, whose job approval fell to 44% with disapproval at 50%. In October, Obama's job approval was at 49% and disapproval at 46%.

■Health care reform: Only 35% had a favorable view of health care reform and 56% had an unfavorable view. In October, before the rollout of the Affordable Care Act, Wisconsinites approved of health care reform by 49% to 46%.

■Economy: Twenty-three percent said they were badly hurt and had not recovered from the Great Recession, down from 32% when the question was asked in January 2012.

Thirty-five percent said they had recovered from the downturn while 40% said they were not affected by the most recent recession.