Dems are ahead of GOP candidates to replace Voinovich

COLUMBUS — Potential Democratic candidates for retiring U.S. Sen. George Voinovich’s seat are outpacing their Republican counterparts, according to a new poll released today.

Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner both topped Republican former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman and state Auditor Mary Taylor by double-digit margins in the Quinnipiac University poll.

“Ohio remains pretty blue these days, given Gov. Ted Strickland’s high approval ratings in past polls and the fact that President Barack Obama carried the state easily, and it shows in the early Senate numbers,” Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the institute, said in a released statement. “But Republicans should not be disheartened by these numbers. We are still in the Obama honeymoon period and both Fisher and Brunner are known almost twice as well statewide as Portman and Taylor.”

The Connecticut-based polling institute regularly gauges Ohioans’ opinions on candidates and issues.

For the complete story, see Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com