Ohio's nationally-watched U.S. Senate race remains neck and neck as the candidates enter the final weeks of campaign season, a new poll shows.
Former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown led Republican Sen. Jon Husted 47% to 44% in a Suffolk University/USA TODAY Ohio Network poll of likely voters released Sept. 30. The survey, which has a 4.4% margin of error, is among several to place Brown and Husted in a dead heat as both parties clamor for control of the Senate.
Libertarian Bill Redpath and independent Greg Levy picked up 2% and 1% of the vote, respectively − enough to tip the balance if the results are close on Nov. 3. Six percent of respondents were undecided.
A new Marist Poll
showed Brown with a more commanding lead over Husted − 51% to 43%.
"I think (Brown is) definitely a person for the people and for labor, and I liked his approach while he was in the Senate all these years," said Lewis Pittman, a 78-year-old Democrat who lives west of Cincinnati and answered the poll. "He's a little more liberal than I am in some areas, but just by and large, I really like him personally and want to see him return to the Senate."
Brown served as senator for 18 years before his 2024 loss to Sen. Bernie Moreno. Most polls that year showed Brown and Moreno in a statistical tie.
The Suffolk poll indicates Brown has a strong advantage among independents, with 55% backing him compared to 28% for Husted. He also fared better with women, non-white voters and union households.
"When you add it all up, (Husted) hasn’t been able to convince people who think of themselves as independents to vote for him," said David Paleologos, director of Suffolk's Political Research Center. "That’s a big problem.”
At the same time, some voters believe Brown spent enough time in office.
"I’m not a fan of everything Jon Husted did, but Sherrod Brown was in there too long," said poll respondent Lisa Brown, 68, of Cincinnati. "I used to be a Democrat. My husband worked for the union railroad. Voted Democrats across the board. We just have had enough. The Democrats are going too socialist, too far."
Poll finds Ohio voters looking for change
The dynamics of Ohio's Senate race are different today than they were in 2024.
President Donald Trump isn't on the ballot, although he plans to visit Ohio on Oct. 3 to rally his supporters. Husted was appointed to the Senate, not elected, after JD Vance became vice president in 2025. Brown is in the minority of former senators since 1946 to seek a comeback after losing reelection, according to Sabato's Crystal Ball.
For Republicans and Democrats, Ohio is a key part of the bigger picture − and the proof is in the money. The campaigns and their allies have spent or reserved over $379 million in advertising, according to AdImpact, and that number will continue to climb until Election Day.
Democrats need to flip four GOP-controlled seats to claim the Senate for the rest of Trump's term. The president won Ohio by 11 points in 2024, but Republicans now face voter frustration over the cost of living and high gas prices caused by the Iran war.
In the Suffolk poll, 24% of respondents cited the economy as their top issue for this election. Over half believe Ohio is on the wrong track, and 49% want their vote to change the direction Trump is leading the country.
On paper, the current political environment should benefit Brown. But at a time when voters want change, Brown's not a political newcomer like Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. Some Ohioans believe he's still a senator, and an ad from a pro-cryptocurrency group backing Husted even referred to him that way.
Paleologos said that perception could explain why Acton had a stronger showing in Suffolk's poll.
"We're showing Amy Acton as the new shiny penny in Ohio," Paleologos said, "as opposed to the older, political currency that you have in the Senate race."
Columbus Dispatch reporter Jordan Laird contributed to this report.
State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@usatodayco.com or @haleybemiller on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jon Husted, Sherrod Brown in dead heat for Ohio Senate seat, poll shows
