Republican challenger John Kasich has a 54 – 37 percent lead over Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland in the race to be Ohio’s next chief state executive, with much of his lead due to overwhelming support among independent voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of likely voters released today.
Kasich, a former congressman and Fox News host, holds even larger leads over Gov. Strickland when voters are asked which candidate would be better rebuilding the state’s ailing economy and handling the state budget, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University survey, conducted by live interviewers, finds. This first general election measure of likely voters in Ohio for this election cycle can not be compared to earlier surveys of registered voters.
Kasich leads among men 60 – 31 percent and gets 47 percent of women voters to Strickland’s 45 percent. Kasich leads among Republicans 91 – 4 percent and 55 – 32 percent among independent voters. Strickland leads 84 – 8 percent among Democrats.
“Independent voters often decide elections in Ohio and Kasich leads among the unaffiliated by 23 points. Not only that, but John Kasich does slightly better among Democrats than Strickland does among Republicans,” said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.