One of the most watched U.S. Senate races in the country is here in Ohio. But maybe not any more, with a new poll showing incumbent Republican Rob Portman with a commanding lead over Democratic former Gov. Ted Strickland.
The latest Quinnipiac Swing State Poll shows Portman leading Strickland 55% to 38% among likely Ohio voters. That 17 point gap has grown from last month, when Quinnipiac showed Portman leading by 11 points. Nearly all Republicans say they prefer Portman, and while 8 in 10 Democrats back Strickland, 15% say they're not supporting their party's nominee. Portman leads with men and women, and he leads with independents by nearly 20 points. Poll Director Peter Brown says it would take a collapse of historic proportions for Portman to lose to Strickland. Portman has outraised Strickland, and groups that support Portman have outspent Strickland four to one in advertising.
