Brown and Acton lead Husted and Ramaswamy in Ohio polls

Wedgewood Polls released a new survey on Friday showing former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown leading Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted 48 percent to 44 percent in the state’s Senate race, while former Ohio Health Commissioner Amy Acton is ahead of Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy 48 percent to 44 percent in the gubernatorial contest.

Ohio is a bell‑town in 2024. It has voted for the president in every election since 2004, but its state legislature and Senate seats have swung between parties. Brown, a Democrat who has held the seat since 2007, faces a challenger who has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration and has spent heavily on advertising. Acton, who led Ohio’s COVID‑19 response, is banking on her name recognition and a record of public health success, while Ramaswamy’s campaign has focused on anti‑establishment rhetoric and promises to overhaul state bureaucracy.

The poll, conducted by Wedgewood with a 1,200‑person sample and a 3.7‑point margin of error, mirrors a trend seen in earlier surveys that have shown the races narrowing. Brown’s lead is helped by his strong fundraising haul—over $30 million in the last quarter—while Husted’s campaign has spent $12 million on television ads. Acton’s campaign raised $8 million, whereas Ramaswamy’s has spent $5 million on digital outreach. Endorsements from local unions and the Ohio Democratic Party have given the incumbents a boost, while the Republican side has rallied around key policy positions like tax cuts and deregulation.

Both contests will move into the primary phase next month, with Ohio holding its primaries on May 7. If the incumbents win, they will carry the weight of incumbency into the November general election, potentially tipping the balance in the U.S. Senate and the state’s executive office. A Husted or Ramaswamy victory would signal a shift toward Republican dominance in Ohio, a swing state that could influence the national political landscape. The parties are already outlining post‑primary strategies, and the outcomes will be watched closely by national media and campaign strategists alike.