New poll shows tight Senate, governor’s races

A new poll shows Ohio’s gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races are closer than previously thought.

An Oct. 5-6 survey by co/efficient found Husted receiving 44% support among likely Ohio voters, compared with 43% for Brown. Independent candidate Greg Levy received 3%, Libertarian William Redpath received 1%, and 9% of respondents remained undecided.

The poll surveyed 925 likely general election voters using mobile text responses and landline interviews. The results fall within the survey’s margin of error of 3.49 percentage points.

A separate head-to-head question found Husted at 46% and Brown at 45%, while a generic Senate ballot question showed Republican and Democratic candidates tied at 45%.

Other recent polling has produced different results. A CNN survey conducted Sept. 29 through Oct. 5 found Brown at 49% and Husted at 43%.

Husted, appointed to the Senate in 2025 after JD Vance’s election as vice president, is seeking to retain the seat against Brown, who lost his Senate reelection bid in 2024.

Amid the tight contest, Americans for Prosperity Action has expanded its efforts to support Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, spending millions on advertising and organizing statewide voter outreach ahead of his November election against Democrat Sherrod Brown.

The conservative political advocacy group announced Sept. 29 that its volunteers, alongside LIBRE Action and Concerned Veterans for America Action, canvassed all 99 Ohio House districts in a single day in support of Husted.

The statewide canvassing effort followed a Sept. 10 announcement that AFP Action had launched two advertisements as part of a $1.4 million digital and streaming campaign targeting Brown and promoting Husted.

AFP Action said its total investment in Ohio exceeded $9 million this election cycle, including advertising and grassroots canvassing.

In a recent statement, Tim Ross, AFP Action advisor for Ohio, said the canvassing effort demonstrated the organization’s statewide reach.

“Reaching all 99 Ohio House districts in a single day is no small feat,” Ross said. “It reflects the strength of our grassroots network and just how committed our volunteers are to electing Jon Husted to the U.S. Senate.”

The two advertisements, titled “Common Sense” and “Taking Root,” criticize the Democratic Party over socialism, government spending and taxes while portraying Husted as an alternative to Brown.

In “Common Sense,” the narrator criticizes Brown’s three decades in Washington and accuses him of failing to oppose his party’s policies.

“Sherrod Brown, 30 years in Washington, and he refused to stand up to his party, caving time after time,” the narrator says.

The second advertisement, “Taking Root,” focuses on Husted’s record and describes him as an opponent of socialism and government spending.

“Ohio can trust Jon Husted to protect our freedom, deliver results, cut taxes, and end wasteful spending,” the narrator says.

AFP Action Senior Advisor for Ohio Donovan O’Neil also criticized Brown in the group’s September announcement.

“Socialism is taking root in Sherrod Brown’s party, and he hasn’t said a word against it,” O’Neil said.