In an election year in which several Republican Senate candidates are seeing their support slip as Donald Trump performs poorly in the polls, Portman appears to be crushing her opponent.
This latest study The Ohio native shows the incumbent senator gaining a nine-point lead over his Democratic rival, former Gov. Ted Strickland. Portman has clearly found a way to win support among ordinary conservative voters in the Buckeye State, while also gaining support among independents and some Democrats.
He was supported last month by the Cuyahoga County chapter of Black Lives Matters — their executive director also serves on the executive committee of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. It’s also engaging that Portman came out in favor of same-sex marriage in 2013 — long before most Americans began supporting the institution.
Strickland, by contrast, has not been as successful in expanding his base. He recently came under fire for calling the death of behind schedule Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia “well-timed.” Strickland was ousted from the governorship in 2010 in a Republican wave.
Even though Trump is trailing in Ohio, Portman is consistently leading in all Real Clear Politics polls and is even showing signs of increasing her lead. Roll Call Currently gives the race a “Leaning Republican” rating.
The same can’t be said for other Republican senators in swing states. Marco Rubio, who still has a narrow lead, has lost his lead in Florida. Pat Toomey is now narrowly behind in Pennsylvania.
