Fox 8/Emerson College poll: Sen. Sherrod Brown leads GOP opponents in race to keep his seat

(WJW) – The latest survey from Emerson College polling and FOX 8, finds that Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown is leading his GOP opponents in the race to keep his seat.

With a razor-thin majority, Democrats may have to rely on Ohio to decide whether they can hold onto control of the chamber.

“Brown has a little bit more of a leg up here,” said Matt Taglia, senior director of Emerson College Polling.

Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown comes out ahead for re-election in 2024 in a recent survey by Emerson College Polling and FOX 8. But, according to Taglia, the Ohio Senate race is still wide open.

“We’ve seen a little bit of movement for Brown, he was in the 30s before, and now he’s in the 40s against the three Republican candidates that we tested,” he said.

The poll shows Brown beating all three Republican contenders vying to replace him.

In a hypothetical matchup between Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and state Senator Republican Matt Dolan, Brown leads 41% to 38%.

Between Brown and Ohio Secretary of State, Republican Frank LaRose, Brown holds 41% while LaRose holds 36%.

In a battle between Senator Brown and Republican businessman Bernie Moreno, Brown received 42% to Moreno at 32%.

But when it comes to voters choosing which Republican should replace Brown, none of them lead the pack.

“The leader in the Republican primarily currently is ” someone else” or “undecided,” Taglia said.

The FOX 8/Emerson College poll taken earlier this month shows that in the Republican primary, 18% of respondents would vote for LaRose, 15% for Dolan, and 10% for Moreno.

But more than 54% of Ohio Republican voters are undecided or would choose someone else.

According to the poll, Frank LaRose is slightly ahead in the primary with 18% support, but when it comes to a head-to-head match-up with Senator Brown, voters would choose state senator Matt Dolan.

“Folks being a little bit more open to moderate candidates potentially that might be helping Dolan in the general versus LaRose in the primary,” Taglia said.

Earlier this month, Ohioans voted overwhelmingly for Issue One to ensure abortion rights in the state constitution. But the poll showed, although that is an important topic, it is not a deciding factor in casting a vote.

“By far and away they said that the economy and in particular, inflation most likely is their number one concern…abortion was a little bit lower on that list,” said Taglia.