Ohio Governor's Race Too Close To Call, With Many Still Undecided

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Ohio Governor candidates Mike DeWine and Richard Cordray are locked in a close race according to a new Quinnipiac Poll.
Associated Press

A new statewide poll shows the Ohio governor’s race is a toss-up right now.

The Quinnipiac University Poll shows 42 percent of registered voters surveyed say they would vote for Democrat Richard Cordray if the election were held today. Republican Mike DeWine was just behind at 40 percent. But 14 percent say they haven't decided yet.

Pollster Peter Brown says that means the race is too close to call.

“They’re even in that the Democrat gets the same amount of Democratic votes as the Republican gets of Republican vote," Brown says. "And they are also right down the middle with independents. This is a close race and it’s obviously going to go right down the middle to the finish line."

The poll also shows Democratic incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown with a 17 point lead over Jim Renacci in the U.S. Senate race, with 51 percent to Renacci's 34 percent, while 12 percent are still undecided.

Unlike the closely-divided governor race, Brown commands a solid lead among independent voters, 51-30 percent. 

And it shows more than half disapprove of President Trump's job performance - 54 percent compared to 43 percent who approve. 

The poll shows just over half of voters, 51 percent, also don’t want Gov. John Kasich to run for president in 2020 – with 73 percent of Republicans saying he shouldn’t, and 52 percent of Democrats saying he should.

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Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.
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