Former Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is leading Republican Sen. Jon Husted in a close 2026 Senate race, while the Ohio governor race remains tight, according to a new Fox News poll.
Brown leads Husted 53% to 45%, according to the poll. Meanwhile, the governor race between Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is virtually even, with Acton polling slightly ahead 50% to 49%. The poll, conducted between May 28 and June 1, surveyed 1,015 randomly selected Ohio registered voters via phone and text-to-web interviews, with results weighted to reflect demographics with a plus/minus 3% margin of error.
Here’s a breakdown of the poll and what it could mean for the Senate race in Ohio.
Brown holds 8-point lead over Husted in Fox News poll
The poll shows that Brown leads Husted 53% to 45%. The 8-point gap falls outside the poll’s margin of error.
According to the poll, Brown leads among younger voters, women, independents and nonwhite voters. Husted performs best with white evangelical Christians, rural voters and white men without a college degree.
Trump support weakening in Ohio, poll shows
The poll suggests that in a state President Donald Trump won with 55% of the vote in 2024, ties to him may now be more of a liability than being labeled too liberal. Forty-six percent of voters say Husted is too close to Trump, compared with 39% who say Brown is too liberal.
Inflation tops Ohio voters’ concerns as opposition grows to AI data centers
Economic anxiety also dominates the focus of Ohio voters, with 43% of voters who took the poll naming inflation as their top issue. Those focused on inflation and health care favor Brown, while those focused on immigration backed Husted.
When it comes to other issues, the poll shows strong opposition to local AI data centers. By more than 2-to-1, Ohio voters oppose building AI data centers in their communities (65% oppose, 32% in favor), with majorities of Democrats, independents and Republicans all against them.
Governor race remains virtually tied between Acton, Ramaswamy
Meanwhile, the governor’s race is essentially tied, with Acton at 50% and Ramaswamy at 49%, per the Fox poll.
Across both races, about seven in 10 voters say they are certain of their choice, though roughly a quarter remain persuadable.
When is Election Day for Ohio’s Senate and governor races in 2026?
The Ohio U.S. Senate special election and the Ohio governor’s race are both scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026, per the state’s voting schedule.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Brown leads Husted in Ohio Senate race, governor race close, poll finds
Reporting by Alex Perry, USA TODAY NETWORK / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Alex Perry, USA TODAY NETWORK | USA TODAY Network
