Senator polling higher than U.S. Representative

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, continues to hold a large lead over his Republican challenger in the November election.

According polls by Politico and AARP, Brown leads U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, 47-31 percent, with 22 percent undecided.

Brown, who is seeking a third term as senator, leads among Democrats, 85-2 percent, and independents, 38-20. Renacci leads with Republicans, 71-13 percent.

The survey was conducted Sept. 2-11 by Morning Consult of 1,592 registered voters in Ohio.

The margin of error is +/- 2 percent.

Republicans had hoped to make Brown a prime target in their 2018 efforts, as President Donald Trump won the state two years earlier.

However, Brown has enjoyed a consistent lead over Renacci and the race was not among those Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, listed when speaking of close contests to reporters earlier this week.

The poll also took a look at the state’s race for governor, finding things a dead heat, with Republican Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine slightly ahead of his Democratic challenger, former U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau head and former Ohio Attorney General and Treasurer Richard Cordray, 39-38 percent.

The survey found 23 percent of voters undecided.

This is similar to previous polling in the race, which had shown a tight contest, with Cordray leading within the margin of error.