Poll: GOP leading Ohio governor’s race, but Dem senator up on challenger

Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) has a double-digit lead over his Republican challenger, according a poll released Friday, while the GOP candidate for the state’s open governorship is leading his Democratic challenger.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) leads Democrat Richard Cordray, the former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 40 percent to 33.5 percent in their race to succeed Gov. John Kasich (R), according to the new 1984 Society/Fallon Research poll, first reported by Cleveland.com.

Twenty-two percent said they were unsure on their pick for governor.

{mosads}DeWine, who won the GOP nomination over Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, has marked himself as a firebrand conservative in contrast to Kasich’s moderate policies and frequent criticism of President Trump. 

Brown has a 48 percent to 34 percent lead over Republican Rep. Jim Renacci, with 15 percent of those surveyed unsure. 

Renacci is a relative newcomer to the race, dropping a planned bid for governor at the urging of Trump. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week that Republicans will be competitive for the seat, citing recent internal polling that showed the Renacci-Brown race percentages within the margin of error. 

Fallon Research surveyed 800 voters between May 21 and 25. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percentage points.