Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown leads Republican Sen. Jon Husted in a new Fox News poll of Ohio voters, while the governor's race between Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton remains close.
Brown leads Husted, 53% to 45%, while Ramaswamy leads Acton 50% to 48%, according to the poll. The survey found that rising costs remain a top concern for voters. It also found that more Ohioans worry about Husted's ties to President Donald Trump than Brown's ties to the Democratic Party.
The governor's race remains statistically tied. But the race has shifted slightly toward Ramaswamy since June's Fox poll, when Acton held a narrow lead.
Here's what the latest poll shows:
Brown maintains lead over Husted
Brown
leads Husted by 8 percentage points, matching his advantage in Fox News' June poll. The result suggests the race has remained steady in Ohio, a state Trump carried in 2024 by 11 percentage points. That year, Brown lost his reelection bid to Bernie Moreno 50% to 46%.
Brown is viewed more favorably than Husted, with a 51% favorable rating compared with 43% for Husted. Husted's unfavorable rating stood at 53%, compared with 47% for Brown.
According to Fox News, 87% of Republicans favor Husted, while 97% of Democrats back Brown. The Democratic candidate also saw 11% crossover support from Republicans overall and 25% among non-MAGA Republicans. Two-thirds of independents also favor Brown, according to the publication.
Inflation remains voters' top issue, with 40% naming it as their biggest concern. The share of Ohioans who say their family is "falling behind" financially rose from 28% in 2020 to 38%. Those voters favor Brown by 40 percentage points.
More Ohioans say Husted is too close to Trump than say Brown is too close to the Democratic Party establishment. Fifty-one percent held that view of Husted, up from 46% in June. By comparison, 44% said Brown is too close to the party establishment.
Ohio's Senate race is already shaping up to be one of the most expensive in the nation this cycle as control of the chamber hangs in the balance.
Governor's race between Ramaswamy and Acton remains close
Ramaswamy receives 50% support and Acton 48%, a result within the poll's margin of error. The race shifted slightly toward Ramaswamy since Fox's June poll when Acton held a narrow lead.
Most supporters of both candidates say they're confident they'll stick with their choice.
The poll also found some ticket-splitting among respondents. Fourteen percent of Brown supporters back Ramaswamy for governor, while 6% of Husted supporters back Acton.
Ohio voters remain divided on Ramaswamy, with 46% viewing him favorably and 44% unfavorably. Acton's unfavorable rating rose significantly from 37% in June to 47% in August.
How the Fox News poll was conducted
The Fox News poll surveyed 1,008 Ohio registered voters between Aug. 6-10 through live telephone interviews and online responses.
The poll was conducted jointly by Beacon Research and Shaw & Company Research and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Results were weighted to reflect Ohio's registered voter population.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Poll shows Brown ahead in Ohio Senate race; governor's race close
