According to a recent Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey, Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is leading all three of his main Republican rivals in the Ohio Senate race.
The poll shows Brown performing best against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, leading 39 percent to 33 percent. In a hypothetical matchup against Trump-backed businessman Bernie Moreno, Brown leads 39 percent to 34 percent.
When Brown is paired against state Sen. Matt Dolan (R), he edges past Dolan 37 percent to 34 percent, just outside of the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Sherrod Brown (Credits: The Hill)
The survey also indicates that Dolan is leading among the Republican candidates when they are polled together, with Dolan receiving 26 percent, Moreno at 23 percent, and LaRose at 16 percent. However, a significant 32 percent of voters remain undecided.
Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, noted the shifting dynamics in the Republican primary race, with LaRose leading in November, Moreno surging in January, and now Dolan capturing voters’ attention. The high number of undecided voters indicates a fluid situation leading up to the election.
Dolan has garnered recent endorsements from Gov. Mike DeWine (R) and former Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), while Moreno has received backing from Trump and Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio).
Sherrod Brown (Credits: Axios)
Sen. Brown’s seat is considered a potential pickup opportunity for Republicans, given that Ohio was won by Trump in 2020. However, Brown has shown strong fundraising numbers, raising close to $5.7 million in the first two months of 2024.
The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Brown’s seat as a “toss-up,” indicating that the race is highly competitive and could go either way.
The Emerson College Polling/The Hill survey in Ohio was conducted between March 7 and March 10, surveying 1,300 registered voters. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
