DDN Poll: Governor’s Race Tight

A new poll from the Dayton Daily News and Ohio Newspapers shows Republican John Kasich still has the lead but it is only by a few points.

It said Kasich has 49 percent and Democratic incumbent Ted Strickland is right behind with 45 percent.

The poll of 850 likely voters statewide shows 6 percent are undecided.

Pollster Eric Rademacher of the University of Cincinnati’s Institute for Policy Research said they see a trend in the making.

“We see likelihood for high Republican turnout this year. But it is only September and it is only a snapshot in time. Now the question is whether the GOP can maintain that momentum,” Rademacher said.

Other statewide polls had Kasich in the lead by double digits.

Dayton Daily News Editor Kevin Riley, speaking on the program “WHIO Reports,” said the numbers indicate the race could go either way since Kasich’s lead is within the poll’s margin of error.

“That’s a way to look at it. We really have a race here. They are going to be spending money. They’re going to be showing up everywhere and they’re going to have a lot of back and forth,” Riley said.

The two candidates will face off in their second and final televised debate October 7 in Toledo.

Meanwhile, the contest for U-S Senate is not so close.

The same poll found Republican Rob Portman leading the race with 55 percent to Democrat Lee Fisher’s 40 percent.

In that race just 5 percent of likely voters polled remain undecided.

Why the big divide?

Dayton Daily News political reporter Laura Bischoff said it comes down to campaign fundraising.

“Portman’s got eight dollars for every one that Lee Fisher has so he’s been playing catch-up all year,” Bischoff said.

The candidates in the U-S Senate race have scheduled three debates, with the first to come October 4 in Columbus.

Jim.otte@whiotv.com