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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2010 > June > 30 > Entry
Fisher, Portman in tight race for U.S. Senate
Democrat Lee Fisher and Republican Rob Portman are locked in a tight race among registered voters for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Republican U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released on Wednesday, June 30.
In the poll, Fisher leads, 42-40 percent, with 17 percent undecided, a statistical dead heat with the poll’s margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The results are virtually unchanged from April and March polls.
Release of the poll comes with Vice President Joe Biden scheduled to be in Cleveland Wednesday to raise money for Fisher whose campaign treasury was depleted by a tough primary with Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
Voters seem to know little about either Fisher, the lieutenant governor, or Portman, a former Cincinnati-area U.S. House member who served both as budget director and U.S. trade representative under President George W. Bush.
“Even though Fisher has been a figure in Ohio politics for two decades, 54 percent of voters say they don’t know enough about him to form an opinion,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said in a press release.
“For Portman, 66 percent can’t rate him. With four months until election day, the Senate race is wide open.”
Looking beneath the poll’s horse race numbers, Portman appears to have an edge in other measures of voters’ attitudes, although not an overwhelming one.
According to the poll, voters say, by a 33-30 percent spread, that they trust Portman more than Fisher to do in office what he promises while campaigning. Also, voters say, by a 36-31 margin, that Portman, rather than Fisher, shares their values.
In the poll, 28 percent view Fisher favorably, compared to 17 percent who give him an unfavorable rating. For Portman, the breakdown is 26 percent favorable, 7 percent unfavorable.
“Those numbers indicate that Portman may have the more growth potential of the two,” said Brown. “On all these measures, Portman does better than Fisher among independents, often a key to Ohio elections.”
Overall support for the candidates shows political polarization and a deadlock among independents voters. Among Democrats, Fisher wins 84-5 percent; among Republicans, Portman leads 81-6 percent. Among independents, Portman squeaks ahead, 39-37 percent.
The poll was taken from Tuesday, June 22 - Sunday, June 27, with 1,107 registered voters and has the margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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By John
July 1, 2010 8:03 AM | Link to this
Interesting post Max. But given the current political climate I intend to vote for balance. A vote for Portman to me evens the odds, possibly producing a stalemate which in the overall scheme of things given our debt wouldn’t be a bad thing in my opinion. The rubber stamp spending has to stop if America is to survive this. Perhaps too it will serve notice to Sherrod Brown though I doubt it…
By Bill
June 30, 2010 3:25 PM | Link to this
One (Fisher) came out of the Obama socialist mold and one did not. Seems like the more the voters get to know Fisher, the less they will like him.
By Max
June 30, 2010 9:06 AM | Link to this
This race is problematic. It’s a critical senate seat being pursued by a dubious Strickland lieutenant and the other (Portman) having an undistinctive trade rep under W. This is appearing to be two, previously invisible, high school nerds trying out for the high school varsity football team. The seat is far above both candidates’ skill level and Ohio doesn’t need a senator in these times requiring OJT. The choice for voters? A blindfold and dartboard comes to mind.