A poll released Wednesday by Bowling Green State University's Democracy and Public Policy Network shows Republican Vivek Ramaswamy holds a slim 1% lead over Democrat Amy Acton in the race for governor.
The race for U.S. Senate is not as tight with current Republican Sen. Jon Husted leading former Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, by 3%. Both races are within the 3.9% margin of error.
Support for President Donald Trump is slipping with those surveyed most concerned about the economy, war in Iran, and the state of democracy in the U.S. Of the 1,000 Ohioans who were polled, 15% now admit they regret voting for Trump to some degree.
The poll also shows the state is now leaning "purple" after Trump won Ohio in the last three presidential elections in 2016, 2020 and 2024.
When discussing local issues, there appears to be confusion on the issue of property taxes.
Robert Alexander, a Bowling Green State University political science professor and director of the Democracy and Public Policy Network, said, “If the elimination of property taxes makes the November ballot, voters will be bombarded with information to persuade them to accept or reject the measure. Our findings show how information and context can have significant effects on one’s support or opposition to the issue.”
Voters also showed high support and trust for local governments and how those entities use tax dollars. Every government service was rated favorably.
- 94% - Emergency services
- 85% - Parks and Recreation
- 84% - Public libraries
- 82% - Services for older adults and people with disabilities
- 78% - Police services
- 78% - Roads and bridges
- 76% - Services for children and families
- 76% - Public health departments
- 73% - Mental health and addiction services
- 68% - Public schools
Finally, there remains a level of skepticism when it comes to data centers and the effects they have on home energy prices. Sixty percent of voters believe data centers are bad for those costs, while 53% worry about their quality of life if a data center is built nearby.
