Poll shows DeWine and Cordray leading in their primaries for governor

A new poll shows Attorney General Mike DeWine and former Attorney General Richard Cordray are leading in their party races for the governor’s office, with the Republican DeWine also having a big lead over the Democrat Cordray in a head-to-head matchup.

Perhaps the biggest surprise in the poll is the lead DeWine has over his primary opponent, Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor. DeWine holds a 40-point lead over Taylor, according to the Fallon Research poll.

In a matchup against Corday, DeWine has a 21-point lead over Cordray, the poll found.

Related: Cordray announces run for governor

Paul Fallon does issue-based research for clients and was hired for this poll by the 1984 Society, a Columbus-based Republican issue and candidate advocacy group.

Fallon said he was surprised by the size of DeWine’s lead over Cordray, but cautioned: “A lot can happen between now and November.” He said Cordray, who worked in Washington for seven years as director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, suffers from “a bit of obscurity” that can be solved with enough campaign money.

Campaign funding reports are due Jan. 31.

Here are the poll results released by Fallon’s firm Thursday:

  • In the Republican primary, DeWine has 54 percent support compared with 14 percent for Taylor.
  • In the crowded Democratic Party field, Cordray has support from 23 percent, followed by Dennis Kucinich, 16 percent; Joe Schiavoni, 4 percent; Bill O'Neill, 3 percent; and Connie Pillich, 2 percent.
  • DeWine leads Cordray in a head-t0-head matchup, 49 percent to 28 percent.

In the battleground region of northeast Ohio, where 41 percent of Democratic primary voters live, Kucinich, the former congressman and Cleveland mayor, leads Corday by 13 percentage points, according to the poll.

Related: DeWine and Husted team up for GOP race for governor

In other poll results, 43 percent approve of the job the Republican Donald Trump is doing as president, while 57 percent approve of the job the Republican John Kasich is doing as governor. Kasich beat Trump in the Ohio presidential primary in 2016.

Fallon Research surveyed 801 regular and newly registered Ohio voters over landlines and cell phones between Jan. 16 and Jan. 19. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.46 percent.

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