Despite heated races, it looks like neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump will campaign in Wisconsin. Here is why

WASHINGTON – With four days until the midterm elections, it appears neither former Republican President Donald Trump nor Democratic President Joe Biden plan to make last-minute trips to Wisconsin to stump for their respective party's candidates as races for Senate and governor come down to the wire.

The two party leaders had not announced plans to travel to Wisconsin as of Friday afternoon. They continued to campaign in various other parts of the country, including stops in New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Iowa.

Their absence in the final push to Election Day comes as polling shows both Biden and Trump are not popular in Wisconsin.

In the latest Marquette University Law School poll, 41% of respondents said they approved of Biden’s job performance compared with 54% who disapproved. Similarly, 39% reported having a favorable view of Trump while 53% of respondents said they have unfavorable views of the former president.

Those responses were split heavily along partisan lines, with 90% of Democrats approving of Biden's performance and 78% of Republicans having favorable views of Trump.

Meanwhile, the two major races in the state are toss-ups.

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson held a 2-point lead among likely voters over his Democratic challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes in the Senate race, according to Wednesday's Marquette poll. In the governor's race, Democratic incumbent Tony Evers and Republican businessman Tim Michels were tied among that same group, 48% to 48%.

The favorability numbers and the tightness in the races in the state could provide some insight into Biden and Trump's plans as other Democratic and Republican party figures campaign in the battleground state.

When Biden last visited Wisconsin in early September, he was greeted by Evers and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore. Barnes was noticeably absent.

Both Barnes and Evers joined former President Barack Obama in Milwaukee last week in an effort to boost turnout in the state's largest city.

Endorsed by Trump, Michels has largely steered clear of talking about the former president since Trump visited Wisconsin in early August to boost Michels over his main GOP primary challenger, former Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch.

In a "closing arguments" video posted Friday to his YouTube page, Michels touted his endorsement from former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson — calling him "the most non-divisive and successful governor in Wisconsin's history."

But he made no mention of his backing from Trump.

Follow Lawrence Andrea on Twitter @lawrencegandrea.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Donald Trump, Joe Biden unlikely to stump in Wisconsin before Nov. 8.