THU AM News: Marquette poll finds public ‘skeptical’ of Trump tariffs; Evers calling for swift action to fight Trump policies

March 6, 2025

— The latest Marquette University Law School Poll finds respondents are “really skeptical” of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, the poll’s director says.

The poll, conducted in late February before this week’s Trump tariffs, found 32% of those surveyed said tariffs help the U.S. economy while 51% said they hurt the economy. Another 16% said tariffs don’t make much difference.

Among Republicans, tariffs are more popular, the poll found. Sixty-one percent said tariffs help the economy, 14% said they hurt the economy and 25% said it doesn’t make much difference. Meanwhile, 92% of Democrats said they hurt the economy, while 3% said they help and 3% said they don’t do much. Among independents, 50% said tariffs hurt the economy, 24% said they help and 26% said they don’t make a difference.

Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School Poll, said the public’s skepticism “is in line” with findings from an earlier national poll from January. He spoke yesterday during a livestream presentation of the latest poll results.

“The tariff issue is going to be well worth following to see how this plays out, both in its perceptible economic impact and in President Trump sticking to the tariffs,” he said, noting Trump on Tuesday indicated “there may be a bit of an adjustment required.”

The White House yesterday announced a one-month exemption on tariffs against Mexico and Canada for cars, after reportedly meeting with U.S. automakers General Motors, Ford and Stellantis.

Meanwhile, the poll also asked respondents about Trump’s plans to deport immigrants in the United States illegally, which have drawn criticism from those who say it will harm labor-intensive industries in Wisconsin such as agriculture and construction.

Across all registered voters in the poll, 61% said they support Trump’s deportation of immigrants in the country illegally while 38% said they opposed the policy. In a separate question on deporting those who’ve been in the country for a number of years and who have jobs and no criminal record, respondents were split 50-50.

As with tariffs, Trump’s deportation policy is seen more favorably by Republicans. Ninety-one percent of Republican respondents supported deporting immigrants that are in the U.S. illegally, while 8% were opposed. For Democrats, 32% were in favor and 68% were opposed. And among independents, 60% were in favor and 37% were opposed.

“This is a case where the Republicans are completely united in favor of Trump’s position,” Franklin said yesterday. “Democrats, on balance, oppose it. But with a significant share of the Democrats who support deportations.”

The poll was conducted Feb. 19-26, before the tariffs on Canada and Mexico took effect, including 864 registered Wisconsin voters. See full results here.

See more on how tariffs might affect Wisconsin industries in a recent story.

— Dem Gov. Tony Evers is calling on Wisconsin Republicans in Congress to “take swift and urgent action” to fight Trump administration policies, including cuts to federal funding and tariffs he says will raise costs for Wisconsinites.

Wisconsin Republicans criticized it as “partisan posturing” and “misleading.”

In his letter, Evers argued Wisconsin Republicans haven’t done enough to stand up to Trump’s policies.

“In recent weeks, Wisconsinites watched as the Republican majority in Congress—including Republican members of Wisconsin’s own congressional delegation—sat silent about threats to gut federal funding for popular programs that help support Wisconsin’s seniors on fixed incomes, veterans, working families, and kids in our classrooms every day,” Evers wrote in a letter dated Tuesday.

Evers criticized House Republicans for passing a House budget resolution he claimed would lead to more than $9 billion in cuts from key programs like Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, food assistance programs like SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, and school funding and student aid, such as Pell Grants.

A spokesperson for the guv’s office said the funding cut estimates noted in Evers’ letter come from an analysis by the Center for American Progress, a liberal advocacy group based in Washington, D.C. The analysis estimates possible cuts by congressional district based on previous proposals by GOP House Budget Committee leaders.

See more at WisPolitics.

— In a direct appeal to Trump, the owner of a Madison-based cheese shop is urging him to “reconsider” policies he says are harming the state’s dairy industry.

Ken Monteleone, owner and founder of Fromagination on the Capitol Square, recently sent a letter to Trump as well as state and federal Wisconsin lawmakers raising concerns about policy impacts on his small business and others in the state.

He notes the administration is firing federal employees and “severely undermining” the CDC while the bird flu is spreading among U.S. cattle herds, calling it “a threat to dairy businesses throughout the U.S.” as well as cheese producers in Wisconsin.

Monteleone also highlights the role of immigrant labor in Wisconsin’s dairy industry, arguing “these hard-working noncitizens are not a threat” to public safety and pay taxes as part of the state’s rural communities.

“While comprehensive immigration reform is long overdue, demonization of workers and slash-and-burn deportations threaten Wisconsin’s families and businesses…and its dairy industry,” he wrote.

The letter also notes two of Fromagination’s small-scale cheese producers have had USDA grants cancelled with no warning, disrupting plans to buy new equipment and staff pay. Plus, a local Community Supported Agriculture coalition of more than 80 local farms was recently told it lost $500,000 in federal funding for produce marketing.

“Your decision to stop funding agriculture and small businesses is wrong, and will seriously damage Wisconsin’s economy,” he wrote.

See the letter here.

— The Water Council has announced Dean Amhaus is stepping down from leading the Milwaukee-based organization and its board has begun seeking his replacement.

Amhaus, the group’s founding president and CEO, will retire later this year after 15 years with the Water Council.

He says leading and growing the organization “has been an extraordinary honor and privilege” and praises his fellow co-founders, the board of directors, staff and others for their role in “establishing Milwaukee as a true global water hub.”

Scott Beightol, board chairman for the Water Council, says the group wouldn’t exist without Amhaus’ vision and dedication.

“His contributions to the water technology sector and water stewardship have created a lasting legacy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the United States, while simultaneously elevating our region’s influence globally,” Beightol said.

See the release and listen to an earlier WisBusiness.com podcast with Amhaus.

Top stories from the Health Care Report…

— Lawmakers have reintroduced a bipartisan bill that would chagne the way pharmacy benefit managers are regulated in the state.

For more of the most relevant health care news, reports on groundbreaking research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics and WisBusiness.com.

Sign up here.

— A live “Talking Trade” podcast event on March 20 will focus on tariffs, trade threats and new alliances roiling international markets in an interactive panel discussion.

Show co-hosts Sandi Siegel, president of M.E. Dey, a customs broker and freight forwarder, and Ken Wasylik of E.M. Wasylik, an international business consultant, will be joined by two Carroll University experts:

Tim Sullivan, the former Bucyrus CEO and now dean of the Business School at Carroll University
And Alexandra Sielaff, Ph.D., Director of the Carroll MBA program and Associate Professor

The free program goes from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Recital Hall at the Carroll University Shattuck Music Center with a reception to follow.

See event details and register here.

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