According to a poll released today, Ohio Republican Rob Portman holds an 8 point lead over Democrat Lee Fisher, with Portman picking up 45 percent to Fisher’s 37 percent. Five percent prefer some other candidate, and 13 percent remain unsure. Highlights follow:

When leaners are included in the new totals, Portman’s lead grows from eight points to nine. With the leaners, 48% will vote for Portman and 39% for Fisher.
This is the first Rasmussen Reports Election 2010 survey in Ohio to include leaners. Leaners are those who initially indicate no preference for either of the candidates but answer a follow-up question and say they are leaning towards a particular candidate.[…]
It’s interesting to note, however, that 65% of Fisher’s voters say they are already certain of how they will vote, compared to just 59% of those who support Portman.[…]
Portman earns 87% of the state’s GOP vote, while 75% of Democrats support Fisher. Voters not affiliated with either major party prefer the Republican by better than two-to-one.
Seventeen percent (17%) of Ohio voters hold a Very Favorable opinion of Portman, while seven percent (7%) view him Very Unfavorably.
Fisher is also viewed Very Favorably by 17% and Very Unfavorably by 12%.
But one-quarter of the state’s voters don’t know enough about either candidate to venture any kind of opinion of them. At this point in a campaign, Rasmussen Reports considers the number of people with strong opinions more significant than the total favorable/unfavorable numbers.
Ohio has been particularly hard hit by the bad economy and has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country. Just six percent (6%) of the state’s voters rate the economy as good or excellent, while 61% describe it as poor. Twenty-three percent (23%) say the economy is getting better, but 55% believe it is getting worse.
Three-out-of-four Ohio voters (76%) say the United States is in a recession.
For the first time since President Obama took office, voters nationwide see his policies as equally to blame with those of President George W. Bush for the country’s current economic problems.
Forty-five percent (45%) of voters in Ohio now approve of the job Obama is doing as president, but 54% disapprove.