DeWine up by double digits in governor’s race

As Labor Day draws near, along with the start of heavy general election campaigning, a new poll gives Republicans a slight lead in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race.

A poll by Emerson College, conducted from August 15-16, puts Republican nominee J.D. Vance ahead of Democrat Tim Ryan, 45-42 percent, within the poll’s margin of error of +/- 3.2 percent.

Vance, a venture capitalist and author of “Hillbilly Elegy,” is running against Ryan, a current U.S. representative from Ohio for the seat of Republican Rob Portman, who is retiring.

Ryan, however, leads on favorability in the poll, with 54 percent of respondents holding a favorable view of him and 36 percent unfavorable. Vance is viewed favorably by 50 percent and had a 41 percent unfavorable rating.

The poll contained good news for incumbent Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who led his challenger, Democratic former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, 49-33 percent.

The sample for the poll consisted of 925 somewhat and very likely general election voters.

The poll, the first independent survey in several months, came following the release of multiple polls, commissioned by political action committees over the summer, which gave Ryan a slight

lead.
Ohio’s Senate race is expected to be a battleground this year, with analysts ranking it as a toss-up or giving it a slight Republican lean in election forecasts.