COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Republican Sen. Jon Husted holds a six-point advantage over former Sen. Sherrod Brown, marking a competitive start to Ohio’s closely watched 2026 race.
An Emerson College Polling survey of Ohio voters released Friday morning found Husted leads with 50% over Brown’s 44%, with 7% still undecided. The poll, with a margin of error of +/- three percentage points, surveyed 1,000 active Ohio registered voters on Aug. 18 and 19.
Brown, a Democrat who launched his campaign Monday and raised $3.6 million, is viewed favorably by 44%, while 42% hold an unfavorable opinion. Husted, who began his bid in April and is sitting on $2.6 million, is viewed favorably by 33% and unfavorably by 28%.
“Husted has a 16-point lead among male voters and voters without a college degree, and a 14-point lead among voters over 40,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling. “Brown has a 13-point lead among voters under 40, a three-point lead among women voters, and an eight-point lead among independent voters.”
The poll also gauged early sentiment in Ohio’s 2026 gubernatorial race. In a hypothetical general election, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy holds a 10-point lead over Democrat Amy Acton, 49% to 39%, with 12% undecided. Against Democrat Tim Ryan, Ramaswamy leads 49% to 41%, with 10% undecided.
“Driving Ramaswamy’s support is his strength with younger voters, for comparison, he outperforms Husted among those under 30 by five points, 39% to 34%,” said Kimball.
In a preview of the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, Vice President JD Vance heavily leads the field with 55%, followed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 9%, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 7%, Ramaswamy at 6% and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley at 4%.
For the Democratic nomination, California Gov. Gavin Newsom leads with 20%, followed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at 15%, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at 8%, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former Vice President Kamala Harris and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders each at 7%.
On presidential approval, 49% of Ohio voters support President Donald Trump’s performance, while 42% disapprove. Regarding Gov. Mike DeWine, 40% disapprove of his job performance, 32% approve and 28% remain neutral.
The survey also explored views on immigration enforcement. About 57% of Ohio voters think mass deportations of undocumented or illegal immigrants would be good for the state, while 43% view them as bad. Among party lines, 77% of Democrats oppose deportations, while 87% of Republicans support them. Independents are nearly split, with 52% in favor and 48% opposed.
On the issue of Ohio sending National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., 44% approve, 42% disapprove, and 14% are unsure. When asked about the most important issues facing the state, 44% of Ohio voters named the economy, followed by threats to democracy at 15%, housing affordability at 10%, and healthcare at 8%.
Regarding Ohio’s congressional redistricting, 41% of voters believe district lines are drawn to benefit Republicans, while 23% believe the process is fair. Eight percent think the maps favor Democrats, and 29% are unsure.
“Among voters whose top issue is threats to democracy, 82% think congressional district lines are being drawn to benefit the Republican Party,” Kimball noted.
