Democrat gains in race against Ramaswamy for Ohio governor: Poll
by Caroline Vakil - 12/11/25 6:00 AM ET
Democrat Amy Acton is polling neck and neck with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor’s race, according to a new survey.
An Emerson College Polling survey released on Thursday found Acton, a former Ohio Department of Health director, receiving 46 percent while Ramaswamy, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination last cycle, at 45 percent. A separate 9 percent said they were undecided.
The polling falls within the survey’s 3.3-point margin of error, essentially tying the two candidates.
Compared to a similar poll conducted in August, Acton has seen a 7-point increase while Ramaswamy has lost some ground with a 4-point decline.
“The August Emerson College poll found women voters split between Ramaswamy and Acton, 44% to 42%, and men breaking for Ramaswamy 54% to 36%,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, in a press release.
“Four months later, men still support Ramaswamy by about 20 points, 55% to 35%, but women have shifted toward Acton, breaking for her 56% to 37%.”
The polling also found Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) and former Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) neck and neck as well. Husted received 49 percent while Brown received 46 percent, which is within the poll’s margin of error. A separate 5 percent said they were undecided.
The December poll shows Brown has seen his numbers moderately tick up since a similar poll was conducted in August. Brown gained 2 points since August while Husted only lost a point.
The poll found that economy ranked as the most important issue among voters (44 percent), followed next by threats to democracy at 13 percent, health care at 11 percent, housing affordability at 9 percent and immigration at 8 percent, among other issues.
“Ohio voters who did not participate in the 2024 election, most of whom are under 30, are more likely to identify as Republicans rather than Democrats,” Kimball said in the press release.
“In addition, 31% of voters under 30 align with independents or Democrats, while 38% identify with Republicans, though this group still breaks for Democrats by about 12 points. Democrats hold a larger advantage among voters in their 30s than among under 30, further indicating shifting political dynamics within the Ohio electorate.”
The Emerson College Polling survey was conducted between Dec. 6 and Dec. 8 with 850 Ohio active registered voters surveyed. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.3 percentage points.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5642908-democrat-gains-in-race-against-ramaswamy-for-ohio-governor-poll/
