Republican candidate for governor in Ohio, Vivek Ramaswamy, trails Democrat Amy Acton by 10 points, a new poll from EMC Research, Inc., shows on Thursday.
Newsweek reached out to political analysts via email for comment.
Why It Matters
Ohio has not elected a Democratic governor since 2006. Ramaswamy, a wealthy entrepreneur and former presidential candidate, comes with name recognition while Acton, a physician and former state health director, shows solid numbers with key groups in recent surveys.
Ramaswamy, a supporter of President Donald Trump, was tapped to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency alongside Elon Musk in Trump’s second term. The Republican later stepped away from the department to move on and announce his bid for Ohio governor.
What To Know
According to the poll, Ramaswamy has 43 percent compared with Acton’s 53 percent. The poll surveyed 1,343 likely November voters, from February 10 to February 22. The poll has a margin of error of 2.7 percent.
“While Acton has consolidated the support of Democratic voters with 82% of their vote, Ramaswamy is underperforming among Republicans with only 65% support, and independent voters are breaking 51%-46% for Acton,” the poll says.
In a December poll taken by T. Roosevelt Action, an advocacy group focused on protecting the right to hunt and fish in the U.S., Ramaswamy had 45 percent of the vote compared to Acton’s 43 percent and 12 percent were undecided.
In a September survey from Hart Research, Acton held a 1-point lead over Ramaswamy. The poll also shows Acton leading among independents, suburban voters and women, while Ramaswamy led with men and rural voters.
What People Are Saying
Ramaswamy, on X Thursday: “Enjoyed spending time with President Trump in my hometown of Cincinnati today. Great conversations with local workers about delivering lower costs, bigger paychecks, and better schools. We’ll do our part in Ohio.”
Acton, on X earlier this month: “Vivek Ramaswamy thinks we’re just imagining higher prices at the pump, but I’m hearing from Ohioans who feel these outrageous costs every single day. I know what it’s like to struggle to afford to put gas in the tank. It’s time to give hardworking Ohioans some breathing room. We can’t afford Vivek Ramaswamy.”
Casey Putsch, Republican candidate for governor, on X Monday: “OHIO! We have two choices in May: Option 1: A true Ohioan fighting for OUR families, communities, and future. NO sellouts, NO displacement, NO surveillance state taking over our freedom! Someone to say NO to data centers and Big Tech. Option 2: The BILLIONAIRE Big Pharma/Big Tech Trojan Horse wagging his finger at YOU, pushing to POISON our water, DEMOLISH our farms, and cram in more data centers and factories that ONLY benefit him and his buddies. The job of representatives is to MAKE OUR LIVES BETTER, not to ‘blunt the impact’ and slowly make everyone’s lives worse as you get rich and keep playing political musical chairs. Vote Putsch, May 5.”
What Happens Next
Primary election day in Ohio is on May 5, and the general election is scheduled for November 3.
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