A Bowling Green poll from April 2026 showed a tight Ohio governor race between Amy Acton and Vivek Ramaswamy. Not much has changed in the months since then.
A New York Times/Siena College poll shows Ohio’s U.S. Senate and governor races remain highly competitive ahead of the 2026 midterm election.
The June 2026 survey found Republican Jon Husted narrowly leading Democrat Sherrod Brown, while Democrat Acton and Republican Ramaswamy are tied in the governor’s race.
Here’s what the latest New York Times poll shows.
Jon Husted holds slim lead over Sherrod Brown in Ohio Senate race, New York Times poll finds
Ohio voters still lean Republican overall, according to the NYT poll. But Brown is running ahead of the Democratic Party’s standing, keeping the race competitive.
Here’s a breakdown of which candidates Ohio respondents were most likely to vote for in the November election:
The poll suggests Brown is outperforming the Democrat Party in Ohio. Voters see him as more moderate than national Democrats and give him higher favorability ratings, keeping the race close despite Republican advantages.
The Ohio margin of error in the poll is 4.7%, according to the Times.
Acton vs. Ramaswamy governor race is even more competitive
The Times’ poll also gauged the Ohio governor race, asking voters which candidate they would be more likely to support if the election were held today.
Unlike the Senate race, the governor’s contest is statistically tied despite Ohio’s recent lean toward the Republican party. Acton leads among women, college graduates and younger voters. Ramaswamy, meanwhile, is viewed more favorably among Republicans and conservative voters.
Ohio voters pessimistic about the economy, cost of living
Economy and inflation dominate voter concerns in Ohio this election cycle, the poll showed.
When asked about their top issue, 22% cited the economy and jobs. When asked about Ohio’s economy, 62% rated it “fair” or “poor,” suggesting most voters do not believe economic conditions are strong.
Voters unhappy with the direction of the country
Voters who responded to the poll are unhappy with the country’s direction and are negative on President Donald Trump overall. Still, they lean more Republican than Democrat, the poll indicates.
A majority of voters, 52%, say the country is on the wrong track. Trump’s approval rating stands at 44% in the poll, with 54% disapproving.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Poll of Ohio voters shows competitive Senate race, tied governor race
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
