Democratic incumbent Russ Feingold and his chief Republican challenger Ron Johnson remain locked in a neck-and-neck battle for the U.S. Senate in Wisconsin.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in Wisconsin finds Johnson with 47% support, while the Democrat earns 46% of the vote. Two percent (2%) like some other candidate in the race, and six percent (6%) are undecided.

This is the third straight month with Feingold attracting 46% of the vote and all three months have shown a close race. A month ago, Johnson had 45%. Two months ago, Johnson was at 44%.

Feingold was reelected in 2004 with 55% of the vote but like many Democratic incumbents nationwide is running into a lot of unhappiness in the electorate. The closeness of the race has prompted Feingold, a member of the Senate since 1993, to begin airing a radio ad last week portraying himself as a political outsider.

Wisconsin is one of nine Toss-Up states in the Rasmussen Reports Senate Balance of Power rankings.

Johnson still faces a primary challenge from fellow businessman Dave Westlake. State Republicans will pick their nominee in a September 14 primary, but Johnson is expected to prevail.

If Westlake is the GOP nominee, Feingold has a much easier time for now. Feingold picks up 51% support in that match-up, while Westlake earns 37%. Six percent (6%) favor another candidate, and six percent (6%) more are undecided.

In match-ups with Westlake dating back to February, Feingold has captured 47% to 51% of the vote. Westlake's support has run from 35% to 41%.

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The survey of 750 Likely Voters in Wisconsin was conducted on July 13, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Feingold captures more than 90% of the Democratic voter against either Republican. Johnson picks up 93% of the GOP vote, while Westlake earns 75% support in his own party. Voters not affiliated with either party prefer Johnson by 16 points but break even if Westlake is the Republican in the race.

Only eight percent (8%) of all Wisconsin voters rate the U.S. economy as good or excellent, while nearly half (49%) describe it as poor. Thirty-two percent (32%) say the economy is getting better, but 41% think it is getting worse.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) say the country is in a recession.

Voters in the state are evenly divided over whether the $787-billion economic stimulus plan passed by Congress has helped or hurt the economy. That's a much more positive assessment than is offered by voters nationwide.[

Still, just 27% in Wisconsin think the stimulus plan created new jobs. Fifty-six percent (56%) disagree and say no new jobs were created by the spending.

Sixty-one percent (61%) say cutting taxes is a better way than increased government spending to create jobs. Only 18% think increased spending is a better idea.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of Wisconsin voters favor repeal of the new national health care plan, while 40% oppose repeal. This is in line with voter sentiments nationally. The findings in Wisconsin include 42% who Strongly Favor repeal and 28% who Strongly Oppose it.

Voters who Strongly Favor repeal overwhelmingly support the Republicans. Roughly 90% of the smaller group who Strongly Oppose repeal support Feingold in both match-ups.

The Democrat also earns strong support from the 33% of Wisconsin voters who agree with the U.S. Justice Department's decision to challenge Arizona's new immigration law in federal court. The 55% who disagree with that challenge heavily support the Republicans.

Most Wisconsin voters (56%) favor passage of a law like Arizona's in their state, but 33% oppose such a law. Fifty-eight percent (58%) support a welcoming immigration policy that excludes only national security threats, criminals and those who come here to live off the U.S. welfare system, but 25% oppose a policy like that.

Thirty percent (30%) of Wisconsin voters have a Very Favorable opinion of Feingold, while 25% view him Very Unfavorably.

For Johnson, Very Favorables are 20%, and Very Unfavorables are nine percent (9%).

Westlake is viewed Very Favorably by four percent (4%) and Very Unfavorably by nine percent (9%).

Feingold is by far the best-known candidate in the race. At this point in a campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the number of people with a strong opinion more significant than the total favorable/unfavorable numbers.

Forty-nine percent (49%) of voters in the state approve of President Obama's job performance. Fifty percent (50%) disapprove. This is unchanged from the previous survey and is slightly better than the approval ratings Obama earns nationally in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll.

In 2008, Rasmussen Reports projected nationally that Obama would defeat John McCain by a 52% to 46% margin. Obama won 53% to 46%. Four years earlier, Rasmussen Reports projected the national vote totals for both George W. Bush and John Kerry within half-a-percentage-point.

In Wisconsin during the 2008 campaign, Rasmussen Reports polling showed Obama defeating McCain by a 51% to 44% margin. Obama won 56% to 43%. Four years earlier, Rasmussen polling showed Kerry leading Bush in the state by a 48% to 46% margin. Kerry won 50% to 49%.

In 2006 Senator Herb Kohl was ahead of Robert Lorge 64% to 25% in the final Rasmussen poll. Kohl won 67% to 30%. In the governor's race that year, Rasmussen polling showed Jim Doyle leading Mark Green 48% to 44%. Doyle won 53% to 45%.

In 2004, the last time Feingold won reelection, Rasmussen polling showed Feingold leading 53% to 43%. Feingold won 55% to 44%.

See all Rasmussen Reports 2008 state results for president, Senate and governor. See 2006 results for Senate and governor. See 2004 state results for president.

Rasmussen Reports has recently surveyed a possible special Senate race in West Virginia and Senate races in Arizona, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington.

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