Poll: Ohio GOP Voters Want Ken Blackwell for Senate

Matt K. Lewis Senior Contributor
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According to a new Public Policy Polling survey, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is the leading GOP contender to run for U.S. Senate from Ohio next year.

Here’s a snippet:

Raleigh, N.C. – Ohio Republicans prefer their former Secretary of State Ken Blackwell to take on Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown for Senate next year. Blackwell is the favorite of 17% of Ohio’s usual Republican primary voters, ahead of Jon Husted’s 14%, unlikely candidate Drew Carey’s 12%, Mary Taylor’s 9%, Jim Jordan’s and Steve LaTourette’s 8%, Josh Mandel’s 6%, and state senator Shannon Jones’ 1%. A full quarter, far more than support any of the candidates, are undecided or prefer someone unnamed.

With Carey removed from the picture, Blackwell jumps to 21%, with Husted still at 14%, Jordan and LaTourette up to 10%, Taylor down to 8%, Mandel up to 7%, and Jones up to 4%. 26% are still undecided. Husted and, particularly, Blackwell both earn larger shares of the vote as they move rightward across the ideological spectrum. Mandel is third with moderates, but they make up only 16% of the electorate. When PPP last polled the race in December, the story was similar. After Mike DeWine, who has since decided against a run, Blackwell led with 17% to Husted’s 11%, Jordan’s 10%, Taylor’s 7%, LaTourette’s 6%, and Mandel’s 5%.

You can read the whole thing here (PDF).

Matt K. Lewis