Swing State Ohio

Ohio Senator	9-21-05	10-31-05	1-13-06	3-27-06
Brown (D)	N/A	40%	41%	46%
DeWine* (R)	N/A	37%	37%	37%

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With Ohio Gov. Bob Taft’s job approval numbers continuing as the worst in the nation, and with just over one in four (28%) giving incumbent Republican Sen. Mike DeWine good marks for his work in Washington, one of the nation’s premiere swing states appears ready for a Democratic take-over, a new Zogby Interactive poll shows.

Just 6% give Taft good marks for the job he is doing leading the state, the survey shows. In the Senate race, a head-to-head match-up against Democrat Sherrod Brown, the congressman from northeast Ohio who is giving up his seat to challenge Senator DeWine this year, Brown leads DeWine by a 46% to 37% margin.

Brown’s margin over DeWine closely mirrors the sentiments of voters statewide, who said that, by a 43% to 35% margin, Democratic Party leaders more reflect their values than Republican Party leaders. Asked whether Democratic or Republican members of the Ohio congressional delegation more shared their values, respondents favored Democrats by a 42% to 37% margin.

The good news for Ohio Republicans: likely voters statewide said that, when they think about the national congressional leaders in both parties, 40% think Republicans more share their values, and 40% think Democrats more share their values. The balance of respondents were either not sure or said neither party’s leaders reflect their values.

In the race for governor, both leading Democrats enjoyed leads over their Republican counterparts. Democratic Congressman Ted Strickland leads Republican Ken Blackwell, the secretary of state, by six points – 47% to 41% - and leads GOP state Attorney General James Petro, 46% to 31%.

Democrat Brian Flannery, a former state representative, holds small advantages over both Blackwell and Petro.

Compared to previous Zogby polls, Brown's lead was just 3% in October and 4% in January. The boost to 9% is probably a result of his improved statewide name recognition as well as the string of scandals involving the Ohio GOP.