New polling shows Ohio Senate candidates Tim Ryan (D-OH) and J.D. Vance (R-OH) in a virtual tie in the final stretch of the election.
The survey, conducted by Emerson College Polling and the Hill, shows 46% of Ohio voters plan to vote for Vance, while 45% support Ryan. Six percent of the respondents were undecided.
While the Buckeye State has been trending red, with former President Donald Trump having won there by 8 percentage points in 2020, Ryan has seen a 5-point uptick since last month, while Vance has seen an increase of 2 points.
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The battle to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) remains extremely competitive and is seen as a key race in deciding which party will hold control of the upper chamber next year.
Ryan, who has served in the House since 2003, and Vance, a venture capitalist and the author of Hillbilly Elegy, met for their first debate on Monday, sparring over topics ranging from the economy to abortion. Both candidates looked to paint their opponent as an extremist while making appeals to swing voters.
“Men are breaking for the Republican candidate and women are breaking for the Democratic candidate in the US Senate Election; men for Vance over Ryan 53% to 40%, while women for Ryan over Vance 49% to 39%. A higher share of women are undecided at 11%, compared to 6% of men,” Executive Director of Emerson College Polling Spencer Kimball said in the polling release.
The survey showed GOP Gov. Mike DeWine with a 14-point lead over his Democratic opponent, Nan Whaley, with the candidates polling at 50% to 36%, respectively.
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President Joe Biden’s approval rating is underwater in the state, with 57% of those polled saying they disapprove of his handling of the country.
Ryan has looked to distance himself from party leaders, including Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), during the course of the campaign, with the Ohio Democrat voicing criticisms during Monday’s debate. According to the poll, in a hypothetical rematch between Trump and Biden, 48% of voters would support Trump and 40% would support Biden.
The poll was conducted between Thursday and Friday, from before the debate, among 1,000 likely voters and had a margin of error of 3 points.
