https://redfieldandwiltonstrategies.com/the-view-from-ohio-approval-of-political-leaders-and-hypothetical-voting-intention/In comparison to the negative net approval rating given to President Joe Biden by residents of Ohio, views of the state’s Senators and Governor are relatively more positive. 42% approve and 28% disapprove of Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown’s overall job performance (a net approval rating of +14%), and 34% approve and 29% disapprove of Republican Senator Rob Portman’s performance (a net approval rating of +5%). Amid this positive net approval rating, Portman—whose seat will be up for re-election in November 2022—has announced he will not be seeking a third term, with his seat likely to be highly contested.
Indeed, our hypothetical voting intention polling finds that the election of Ohio’s new junior Senator could be a close one. After weighting by likelihood to vote, 37% of respondents would vote for Democratic US Representative Tim Ryan and 36% would vote for author and Republican candidate J D Vance, if they were the respective nominees for the Senate seat. Results are similar if Tim Ryan were to run against former Chair of the Ohio Republican Party Jane Timken, in which case 38% say they would vote for Ryan and 36% would vote for Timken. If Tim Ryan were to run against former State Treasurer and pro-Trump candidate Josh Mandel, however, the hypothetical Republican nominee leads with 41% to Ryan’s 37% of the vote. Even so, relatively high proportions of 23%, 22%, and 17%, respectively, say they don’t know how they would vote in these hypothetical Senate Election scenarios. This level of current indecision further underlines that the 2022 Senate Election in Ohio will be one to watch.
