The numbers are identical to a poll Democrats released earlier this week:The apparent tie in the Rob Portman-Ted Strickland race for U.S. Senate, which took hold in summer after Strickland had the lead, continues today, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll.If the election were today, Democratic challenger Strickland would have 46 percent of Ohio voters' support and Portman, the incumbent Republican, would have 43 percent.
In a real election, that would make Strickland the winner. He has held onto a lead in polls conducted by Quinnipiac through the year, although the lead narrowed to a statistical tie in August.
In this latest telephone poll, with 1,180 registered voters who are supposed to serve as a proxy for Ohio's political druthers, the numbers continue to leave enough doubt as to necessitate factoring in what statisticians call a margin of error. And the margin of error in this poll is 2.9 percent, about matching Strickland's narrow lead.
There is enough doubt, in other word, that Portman could just as easily be ahead. That was the outcome in Quinnipiac's August survey as well.
For Strickland, a former Ohio governor, the good news is that Portman has not pulled ahead despite advertising against him or for Portman by outside groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Koch brothers' Americans for Prosperity, and a group affiliated with conservative strategist Karl Rove.
For Portman, the good news is that the horse race continues to be a statistical tie, suggesting that the ads and other efforts slowed Strickland's early momentum. - Northeast Ohio Media Group, 10/8/15
It's still very early and of course but this is one competitive race we have here. Lets help Strickland give him him the backing he needs to defeat Portman. Click here to donate and get involved with his campaign:Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, trailed his likely Democratic opponent, former Gov. Ted Strickland, by 3 points in a poll conducted for a Democratic super PAC and provided first to CQ Roll Call.Strickland was favored by 46 percent of those polled, while 43 percent favored Portman, according to the poll conducted for Senate Majority PAC by Harstad Strategic Research.
The Ohio Senate race is a top Democratic target in 2016, when the party will seek to net the five seats necessary to ensure Senate control. Democrats view the Ohio race as a top pickup opportunity as President Barack Obama carried the state in 2008 and 2012.
The poll surveyed 813 likely voters via live telephone from Sept. 10 to Sept. 16. It has a margin of error of 3.4 percent. - Roll Call, 8/6/15
