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By Kate Plummer and Shane Croucher
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The races for Ohio governor and one of the state's U.S. Senate seats have tightened sharply, according to a new poll by Emerson College, with the gap between Democratic and Republican candidates in both now within the margin of error.
Republicans currently hold the governorship and both U.S. Senate seats, one of which was held by Vice President JD Vance before he stepped down to enter the White House with the second Trump administration.
But according to new polling, Democrats are hot on their heels in the upcoming elections.
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Jai Chabria, chief strategist for the Vivek for Ohio campaign, told Newsweek: "Vivek will have raised more than $20 million by December 31. He has a statewide grassroots infrastructure and has visited all 88 counties. He sells out every venue he goes to. You should ask Governor Richard Cordray and Senator Tim Ryan about how public polls helped them win."
Newsweek contacted candidates Amy Acton, Jon Husted and Sherrod Brown by email outside of normal business hours.
Why It Matters
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Ohio's gubernatorial election comes as incumbent Mike DeWine serves out his term-limited time in office. Ohio has elected only 1 Democrat among the last six governors, spanning from 1991 to today, so signs that the Democrats are faring better will concern the GOP.
Ohio's special Senate election will be held in November 2026 to determine the seat holder for the remainder of JD Vance's final two years of his last term, which expires in 2029.
Husted was appointed to fill Vance's seat after the latter became vice president following Donald Trump's victory last November.
What To Know
According to the polling, 46 percent support Democratic candidate Amy Acton while 45 percent support Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.
In a previous August poll, 39 percent said they would vote for Acton, while 49 percent opted for Ramaswamy.
This means Acton's support has increased by seven percentage points.
Meanwhile, in the U.S. Senate election, 49 percent said they support Republican incumbent Jon Husted, while 46 percent said they supported Sherrod Brown, a former Democratic Senator. While Husted is still in the lead, his support has decreased by one percentage point since Emerson College's August poll, while support for Brown has increased by two points.
The poll of 850 registered voters was conducted between December 6 and 8. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.3 percentage points.
It follows an October survey by Bowling Green State University Democracy and Public Policy Network, which found that 49 percent of people would vote for Brown in the election next year, while 48 percent would vote for Husted.
Meanwhile, it comes after new polling by Morning Consult showed that President Donald Trump's approval rating in Ohio is net -1 percentage point, with 48 percent approving of him and 49 percent disapproving. In their previous analysis, Morning Consult had reported a net positive approval rating in the state.
What People Are Saying
Ramaswamy said at the rally announcing his candidacy at CTL Aerospace in February: "President Trump is reviving our conviction in America, we require a leader here at home who will revive our conviction in Ohio."
He added: "We will lead Ohio to be the top state in the country where we embrace capitalism and meritocracy instead of apologizing for it, we will lead Ohio to be the top state in the country that takes a hatchet to red tape over regulation and bureaucracy.
"I will lead Ohio to be the top state in the country where patriots across America actually flock to instead of Florida and Texas, I will lead Ohio to be the state of excellence in America."
Amy Acton campaign manager Philip Stein, in a press release in August: "Dr. Acton is the candidate to beat corporate billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy in 2026, and Ohio voters are fired up about her candidacy. Every day on the campaign trail, Amy hears from Ohioans impacted by high costs and health care cuts who are ready for change. They know that someone who rose from a tough childhood in Youngstown to be a doctor, saving lives in Ohio and beyond, understands what they are going through and will fight for them. And that's exactly what Dr. Acton will do as governor."
What Happens Next
The elections will take place in November 2026.
Update 12/11/25, 10:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Jai Chabria.
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