Poll shows Acton with slight lead as Ramaswamy announces $10 million ad spend
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton holds a slight advantage over her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, in a tight race within the margin of error.
The finding comes as Ramaswamy announces he is spending millions on campaign ads, even before officially winning the Republican nomination.
The new poll, from Quantus Insights, reported that Acton received 45.9%, while Ramaswamy received 44.9%. The pollster added that 5.9% of people asked remain undecided, and 3.3% said that they support another candidate. Even though it is a margin of error, and it is too early in the race, some may argue that it is a bad sign for Republicans because Ohio has been a solid red state for many years.
“Neither candidate reaches the fifty percent mark, a reminder that the electorate remains fluid eight months before the election. In modern Ohio politics, races that begin within a point or two during a competitive environment often remain that way well into the campaign season,” the pollster wrote in its analysis. “The results suggest a state still open to persuasion rather than firmly aligned behind either party.”
According to the poll, the most important issues for Ohioans are the economy – specifically, inflation and cost of living – “threats to democracy” and border security, healthcare, taxes and spending, crime, foreign policy, and election integrity.
Quantus Insights added that Ohioans trust Ramaswamy – 42.9% – more than Acton – 36.2% – to fix the economy. The same applies to immigration: 41% of Ohioans support Ramaswamy on the issue, while only 37% trust Acton more to solve the problem.
However, when it comes to healthcare, more Ohioans support Acton – 42.6% – than Ramaswamy – 39%. This could be explained by her healthcare background, though conservatives like to point out that she left her health adviser job in Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration in the middle of 2020 due to the high-pressure nature of the position.
“The hierarchy of issues reflects a state still shaped by the economic anxieties of the past two decades. Even as social issues remain present in national debate, the Ohio electorate continues to place economic stability at the forefront,” the pollster said.
Meanwhile, last week, the Ramaswamy campaign announced a “historic” $10 million ad buy across Ohio, calling it “one of the earliest and largest advertising investments ever made in an Ohio gubernatorial race.”
“Ohio’s Future” and “Backing the Blue,” the ads that target families and law enforcement, will run all across the Buckeye State’s broadcast, cable, streaming, and digital platforms to reach the state’s voters.
“We’re going up, and we aren’t coming down until November,” Jonathan Ewing, campaign manager for Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio, said in a release.
