Strickland, Kasich neck and neck for governor in 2010, new poll says shows

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Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon)

By Marc Kovac

COLUMBUS — Ohioans still approve of Gov. Ted Strickland’s work in office, but they’re evenly split between him and his Republican challenger in next year’s general election.

That’s according to the latest poll of likely voters by the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, which regularly gauges Ohioan’s opinions on candidates and issues.

Of the 1,123 registered voters questioned over the past week, 45 percent said they approve of Strickland’s work, compared to 43 percent who do not. That was down from a 48 percent approval rating in September.

But 43 percent said they do not think Strickland has kept his campaign promises, versus 32 percent who think he has.

In the likely gubernatorial match-up in 2010, Strickland and Republican John Kasich are running neck and neck, with 40 percent of respondents backing the incumbent and 40 percent backing the challenger.

That compares to 46 percent-36 percent who supported Strickland in September.

“When the Quinnipiac University first began asking about a Strickland-Kasich race for governor in February, the incumbent held a 56 percent-26 percent lead over his challenger,” Peter Brown, assistant director of the Connecticut-based polling institute. “Now they are dead even. Obviously, a lot has changed: The governor’s own ratings have gown down more than the challengers have come up.”

He added, “Moreover, when voters are asked who could do a better job handling the state budget and rebuilding the state economy, they say Kasich. We still have a year to go, but Kasich is in much better shape than one could have imagined earlier in the year.”