Red, White and Blue
Paul Ryan VP buzz not shared on national level, says new poll
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Annie Scholz reports Video by tmj4.com
video
WHITEFISH BAY- Paul Ryan may be Wisconsin's hometown candidate, but a new poll shows Ryan isn't making a big splash nationwide.
That poll shows more Americans think less of Ryan than think highly of him. Not since Dan Quayle in 1988 has a VP pick debuted as poorly. But here in Wisconsin, some folks say not so fast.
Republican vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan was heckled off stage in Iowa Monday morning.
Doctor Michael Swank of Shorewood, doesn't get why.
"I think the guy will sell over the rest of the country," said Dr. Swank.
But so far, voters outside state lines aren't as on board. In the USA TODAY/Gallup poll, 42 percent see Ryan as a "fair" or "poor" choice. Compared to 39 percent who think he's an "excellent" or "pretty good" choice.
Analysts say part of that is Ryan isn't quite the household name in other parts of the country as he is in Wisconsin.
"Despite his prominence in budget debates, half of the public nationwide doesn't know enough about him to say who he is, or if they have a favorable/unfavorable view of him," said Marquette University professor and pollster Charles Franklin.
Since the announcement Saturday, many political insiders are calling Ryan a "bold" choice for Romney. But voters still have a while before they decide if he's their choice.
"I wouldn't go by any polls right now, I'm not sure that the real polls are not going to be until the end of September, the first part of October," said Dr. Swank.
Franklin says anytime you have a hometown candidate, it usually helps that campaign in the state. By how much is something that will play out over the coming months.
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