Election month has arrived.
We all point to the second Tuesday in November, but Election Day is kind of a thing of the past. It is really election month, and it began this week with the start of early voting.
With turnout even more crucial in this election than in the past few cycles, early voting could play a huge role in deciding who will be Ohio's next governor and sit in the U.S. Senate.
Two new polls show Amy Acton has a lead in the race for governor. A Suffolk University poll conducted for USA Today shows her with a 9-point lead over Vivek Ramaswamy, 50% to 41%. The poll included likely voters, and even its lead author questioned whether Acton's lead is really that wide.
Another poll gives the Democrat an advantage. A Marist Poll shows Acton with a 6-point lead, 50% to 44%, among registered voters, a wider pool.
Both polls go against previous polls that showed the race tied.
So, do we believe the polls? Let's ask our Columbus on the Record panelists: Jake Zuckerman, politics and government reporter for Signal Statewide; Republican strategist Mike Gonidakis; and progressive activist Morgan Harper.
Snollygoster of the week
We could give it to embattled Rep. Max Miller, who called his fellow Republican, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, as entertaining as a 2x4. Ouch.
While entertaining, it is not that shrewd. For that, we give it to President Trump. His administration this week is mailing $1,500 checks to nearly 1 million Americans. The Treasury Department claims those people were overcharged by the Biden administration for Obamacare premiums.
Some 66,000 Ohioans are getting the checks and a nice letter signed by President Trump. The timing is interesting, just as early voting begins and four weeks before Election Day.