Suddenly, Matt Dolan has become the center of attention in the Republican U.S. Senate Primary in Ohio. Ohio Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler joins the show to discuss the recent polls and endorsements in the race.
In January, an Emerson College poll found the state senator in third place, trailing Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Cleveland businessman Bernie Moreno.
This week, that same poll shows Dolan has jumped 10 points and now technically leads the race. The poll has Dolan at 26%, Moreno at 23% and LaRose at 16%.
With just a few days until election day, nearly a third of registered Republican voters remain undecided.
The polls illustrate the increased interest in Matt Dolan from the other two candidates. Suddenly, the relatively mild-mannered, Trump-averse candidate is the subject of negative ads and press release attacks from Moreno and LaRose.
This comes as Dolan received a key endorsement. Governor Mike DeWine said Dolan is his pick for U.S. Senate. DeWine said earlier he would not make an endorsement in the race.
We note that the latest Emerson poll was completed before DeWine made his endorsement.
Snollygoster of the week
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appears to be narrowing his list of possible running mates, with New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers reportedly at or near the top. Kennedy told reporters that Rodgers and former Minnesota Governor/former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura are on his shortlist.
The leak has annoyed Jets fans, who learned that Rodgers, currently recovering from a ruptured Achilles, has been hiking in the woods with Kennedy. This unconventional physical therapy for an Achilles tendon injury has raised safety concerns.
This leak has also focused a lot of attention this week on Robert Kennedy’s campaign, which is still barely registering in the polls. This move is seen as shrewd.
It is speculated that Aaron Rodgers will enjoy this attention for a couple of weeks, then attend spring workouts for the Jets.
For floating the idea of picking a vaccine-averse future Hall of Fame quarterback as his running mate, John F. Kennedy Jr. gets our "snollygoster of the week."
If you have a suggestion for our "Snollygoster of the Week" award, a question or a comment, send them to snollygoster@wosu.org.