A new Quinnipiac University poll shows Democratic former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland leads incumbent Republican Rob Portman in the U.S. Senate race by six percentage points. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.
But Pollster Peter Brown notes that this isn’t an ordinary race. “It’s unusual when a challenger is as well known or a little better known than is the incumbent, and that tends to be the case in this situation, which may explain part of the reason for the early lead,” Brown said.
A third of those surveyed said they haven’t heard enough about Portman, compared to around a quarter of those surveyed who didn’t know Strickland. The other Democrat in this race, Cincinnati City Councilman PG Sittenfeld, is unknown to 85 percent of voters with the primary nine months away.