More big news out of Ohio courtesy of Quinnipac:
The race for U.S. Senate is close six months out from the election with just one point separating Sen. Rob Portman and his challenger former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, according to a new poll out this morning.
Portman, a Republican, is running for re-election, but has been struggling with name recognition in the state. Of the Ohio voters surveyed, 43 percent said they would vote for Strickland while 42 percent said they would vote for Portman, according to the Quinnipiac University Poll.
Portman “might consider introducing himself to Ohioans. He is locked in a neck-and-neck re-election fight in which 42 percent of voters say they don't know enough about him to have an opinion. In fact, Democratic opponent Ted Strickland, a former governor is somewhat better known than is he," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Poll.
In the first head-to-head poll more than 13 months ago, Strickland was up 9 points on Portman. But in the last poll completed in February, that lead was down to 2 points.
Here are the full results:
Propelled by non-white voters and young voters, former Gov. Ted Strickland, a Democrat, has 43 percent in the Ohio U.S. Senate race, with 42 percent for Republican incumbent Sen. Rob Portman.
Voters 18 to 34 years old back Strickland 58 - 27 percent, while support shifts to Portman among older voters, but by smaller margins. White voters back the Republican 49 - 37 percent, while non-white voters go Democratic 70 - 10 percent.
The gender gap is small as men back Portman 47 - 42 percent while women back Strickland 43 - 37 percent.
Ohio voters approve 47 - 33 percent of Judge Garland's nomination to the Supreme Court and say 56 - 38 percent that the Senate should consider the nomination.
Ohio voters approve 58 - 32 percent of the job Gov. John Kasich is doing.
President Obama gets a negative 45 - 50 percent job approval rating.
Sen. Sherrod Brown gets a 46 - 27 percent job approval rating, while Portman gets a 44 - 29 percent score.
Ohio voters support 90 - 9 percent legalizing the use of medical marijuana, with no listed voter group under 82 percent.
Voters support 52 - 45 percent allowing adults to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use.
"Republican Sen. Rob Portman might consider introducing himself to Ohioans. He is locked in a neck-and-neck re-election fight in which 42 percent of voters say they don't know enough about him to have an opinion. In fact, Democratic opponent Ted Strickland, a former governor is somewhat better known than is he," Brown said.
We can win this race, we just have to get our base out to the polls. Click here to donate and get involved with Strickland’s campaign.