New poll: Gov. Walker's lead over Mary Burke has evaporated?

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- A new poll shows the race for governor of Wisconsin is a dead heat. The latest Marquette University Law School poll essentially says Gov. Scott Walker's seven-point lead from March over Mary Burke has evaporated.

Gov. Scott Walker

The latest poll shows Gov. Walker and Burke tied at 46 percent among all registered voters. Among likely voters, Walker is up 48 to 45 percent. But that lead is apparently statistically insignificant. That puts the focus on turnout -- and may foreshadow a spirited campaign by each side to get its base to the polls.

The Walker campaign says, "We're confidence voters want to continue moving Wisconsin forward and have no desire to return to the failed policies of the past."

Mary Burke

The Burke campaign issued this statement: "It is clear that voters recognize that Walker's top down, trickle down approach that puts big corporations and special interests ahead of hard-working Wisconsinites isn't working."

So what's driving Burke's surge? Inside the poll numbers, Walker is doing well on public perceptions that he gets things done, has improved the state budget and has Wisconsin headed in the right direction.

But Burke is doing better on jobs issues and the "empathy question" -- projecting that she cares about voters.

"There are some issues that are helping the governor, there are some issues that are helping Mary Burke. The great ,great question of the campaign is how those balance out," said Professor Charles Franklin, poll director.

Franklin said the results showed a shift in attitudes, but he reminds voters it's still very early in the race.