Ohio Senate Race Tightens, Pro-Life Rob Portman Still Leads Lee Fisher
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 31, 2010
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) — The Ohio Senate race has tightened in a new poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports, but pro-life Republican Rob Portman still leads pro-abortion candidate Lee Fisher. The race is one of several that have the potential to determine which party controls the Senate, which is currently run by abortion advocates.
Portman now picks up 44% support while his opponent, Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, earns the backing of 39% in the latest Rasmussen statewide telephone survey of likely voters.
Seven percent prefer another candidate and another 11% are undecided.
When leaners are included in the new totals, Portman still leads. With the leaners, 47% will vote for Portman and 41% for Fisher. That could mean the large share of undecided voters will break for Portman as the November election comes closer.
The race is a bit closer than it was two weeks ago, when Portman held a 45% to 37% lead over Fisher. Two weeks ago, Portman led Fisher 48% to 39% when leaners were included. The latest numbers prompted Rasmussen move this race from a Leans Republican projection to the toss-up category.
Still, in every survey conducted this year, Portman’s support has stayed in the very narrow range of 42% to 45% of the vote. Fisher’s support has ranged from 37% to 43% in that same period.
Sixty-three percent of Portman’s voters now say they are certain of how they will vote, up four points over the past two weeks. Nearly the same number of Fisher’s supporters say they are certain of their vote, down slightly from the previous survey.
Portman earns 84% of the vote from Republicans, while Fisher is backed by 77% of Democrats. Portman leads Fisher 47% to 23% among voters in the state not affiliated with either major political party.
The share of undecided voters is high, Rasmussen indicates, because roughly one in five voters in Ohio do not know enough about either candidate to venture even a soft opinion of them.
In May, Ohio Right to Life issued its 2010 general election endorsements and backed Portman along with gubernatorial candidate John Kasich.
Mike Gonidakis, on behalf of the Ohio Right to Life PAC, told LifeNews.com that Ohio voters will likely send pro-abortion members of Congress a resounding wake-up call this November.
"Based upon the failed leadership in Congress and the collective abandonment of the will of the people relating to the pro-abortion federal health care vote, Ohio Right to Life enthusiastically and proudly endorses a strong pro-life congressional slate," he said.
He added, "Ohioans are united regarding the belief that our Congress needs a wake-up call and this November we will deliver a resounding message with the election of new members to Congress to include: Rob Portman, Steve Chabot, Jim Renacci, and Tom Ganley."
The pro-abortion health care bill President Barack Obama signed into law, with the help of most of the Democrats in the House and Senate — and over the objections of all Republicans — played a significant role in the endorsements, the Right to Life leader said.
Related web sites:
Ohio Right to Life PAC – https://www.ohiovotesforlife.org
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