Poll: Ohio governor’s race tied

Published 9:21 am Saturday, October 6, 2018

The general election campaign has been under way for a month, since its traditional Labor Day start, and Ohio’s gubernatorial race remains in a dead heat.

Polling throughout the summer had both Democrat Richard Cordray and Republican Mike DeWine mostly within the margin of error, with differing surveys giving each a lead of a handful of points.

The latest poll of the race, taken by NBC News/Marist similarly yields no clear favorite.

Email newsletter signup

The survey, taken from Sept. 16-20 of 564 likely voters, shows Corday and DeWine tied, with 47 percent each. About 6 percent of voters were undecided in the poll, making turnout and get-out-the-vote efforts key for both parties on Election Day.

Cordray and DeWine are seeking to fill the office being vacated by Republican Gov. John Kasich, who is term limited from running again.

The race is far more competitive than that for one of the state’s U.S. Senate seat, Democrat Sherrod Brown continues to hold a large lead over his Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci.

The survey found Brown ahead, 52-39 percent.

Brown, who was first elected in 2006, is seeking his third term in the Senate.

Brown’s leading over Renacci has remained consistent and this week, nonpartisan election analyst Charlie Cook, of the Cook Political Report, shifted the race from “lean Democratic” to “Likely Democratic” in his updated forecast for the Senate.