Ohio Republican senator Jon Husted is leading his likely Democratic challenger, former senator Sherrod Brown, by 6 percentage points, according to a Friday survey.
Husted, whom Gov. Mike DeWine (R.) appointed to serve out the remainder of Vice President J.D. Vance’s term, is leading Brown 50 percent to 44 percent in next November’s special election, the Emerson College poll found.
The poll marks the first hypothetical matchup between Husted and Brown after the Democrat—who last year lost his bid for a fourth Senate term—launched his comeback bid earlier this week. While Brown is a top Democratic recruit, the former senator is facing an uphill battle in his state, which supported President Donald Trump by around 11 points during the 2024 election.
Husted “has a 16-point lead among male voters and voters without a college degree, and a 14-point lead among voters over 40,” said Emerson College Polling executive director Spencer Kimball. “Brown has a 13-point lead among voters under 40, a three-point lead among women voters, and an eight-point lead among independent voters.”
Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who is running for Ohio’s governor, holds leads over both of his potential rivals, Democrats Amy Acton and Tim Ryan, the Emerson College poll found. Ramaswamy is beating Acton by 49 percent to 39 percent and Ryan by 49 percent to 41 percent, according to the poll.
