Are Kasich backers flocking to Gary Johnson in Wisconsin?

From John Kasich to Gary Johnson?

A new Emerson College poll of Wisconsin voters found Libertarian Gary Johnson has gained support from 42 percent of those who backed Kasich, the Ohio governor, in this spring’s Republican primary. Kasich has broad appeal to center-right voters.

Clinton is winning 24 percent of those voters, while Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, gets 22 percent.

Kasich, who did not attend the Republican convention in Cleveland, has declined to endorse a presidential candidate.

Johnson does well with independents. While Clinton leads Trump with this group, 35-34 percent, Johnson gets 22 percent.

Wisconsin has been one of the more reliable Democratic states in recent presidential elections. This year, maybe not.

Two new polls put Hillary Clinton ahead, but not by much. Wisconsin last gave its electoral votes to a Republican president in 1984.

A Marquette Law School Poll Sept. 15-18 has Clinton ahead of Trump, 44-42 percent, and 41-38 if Libertarian Gary Johnson and the Green Party’s Jill Stein are included. Johnson got 11 percent. Emerson College’s survey, conducted Sept. 19-20, gave Clinton her a 45-38 lead.

The Marquette finding is close to its survey findings last month, when she was up 45-42 percent.

In the Emerson survey, Clinton and Trump are in a near-tie with independents. Johnson has 22 percent support.

This story was originally published September 22, 2016 at 1:04 PM with the headline "Are Kasich backers flocking to Gary Johnson in Wisconsin?."