A new poll released by a left wing Ohio-based think tank shows that incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown’s (D-OH) lead over Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) in Ohio’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race has dwindled to four points, 46 percent to 42 percent.
Prior to this poll, the Real Clear Politics Average of Polls showed Brown with a 15 point lead over Renacci.
Ohio Innovation, a 501 (c) (4) non-profit, that says it “blends progressive public policy analysis and hard-hitting research,” released the poll, “conducted by Change Research” on Thursday, noting that it “is the first from Innovation Ohio’s new Polling Collaborative.”
The poll of 822 likely Ohio voters was conducted between August 31 and September 4 and has a three percent margin of error.
The first respondents in the poll were questioned one week after Sen. Brown declared on August 24 that he was opposed to the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
In contrast, Rep. Renacci has been a supporter of Judge Kavanaugh’s confirmation from the beginning.
The dramatic 11 point drop in Brown’s lead this poll suggests may be attributable to Brown’s opposition to the Kavanaugh nomination and his support for the obstructionist tactics of his Democrat colleagues in the Senate.
Earlier on Thursday, Renacci blasted Brown for his opposition to Kavanaugh’s nomination, as Breitbart News reported:
Ohio Republican Senate nominee Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) blasted incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Thursday for his role in the Democrat obstructionist attempts to stop the confirmation hearings for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
Speaking to reporters Thursday morning on a conference call, Renacci said Kavanaugh was highly qualified for the Supreme Court and should be confirmed by the full Senate. . .
“Every one of the Democrats on the panel [the Senate Judiciary Committee holding the hearings] have already decided they are going to vote no. They interrupted the hearings 76 times,” Renacci noted.
“It’s something the people of Ohio are fed up with. The people of Ohio are saying enough with the theatrics!” he added.
Renacci noted that Brown announced his opposition to Kavanaugh’s nomination even before the Judiciary Committee hearings began on Tuesday.
The results of the poll found virtually every statewide race in Ohio is either tied or very close. In the statement accompanying the poll, Ohio Innovation noted that “In head-to-head matchups, the poll found the following:”
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In the Governor’s race, Democrat Rich Cordray is tied with Republican Mike DeWine, 43% – 43%. When all four candidates are included, DeWine leads by a narrow 45% – 43%.
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In the Senate race, Democrat Sherrod Brown leads Republican Jim Renacci 46% – 42%.
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In the Attorney General’s race, Republican Dave Yost leads Democrat Steve Dettelbach, 41% – 37%.
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In the Auditor’s race, Republican Keith Faber leads Democrat Zack Space, 40% – 36%.
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In the Secretary of State’s race, Republican Frank LaRose leads Democrat Kathleen Clyde, 42% – 40%.
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In the Treasurer’s race, Republican Robert Sprague leads Democrat Rob Richardson, 41% – 38%.
The left wing orientation of Ohio Innovation is unmistakable, as it proclaims on its website:
We push back on extremist statehouse policies that hurt working families and take our state in the wrong direction. And working with local leaders, we help push forward progressive policy solutions that improve our economy and strengthen middle-class families.
The statement accompanying the press release notes that “Change Research was recently the only pollster to correctly predict the results in Florida’s Democratic gubernatorial primary.”