In a recent Ohio poll, it seems that President Trump’s popularity has taken a hit. Once leading by more than 11 percentage points in 2024, he now faces a 15-point negative perception among voters. Currently, 42% view him favorably, while a larger 57% see him unfavorably. This is quite a shift from his earlier net positive rating of +6 recorded in November 2024.
The same poll indicates Trump’s approval ratings are similar to those of the sitting Republican Senator, Jon Husted, who has a 41% favorable and 50% unfavorable rating. In contrast, Democrat Sherrod Brown enjoys a significantly better rating at 53% favorable to 44% unfavorable. This disparity likely helped Brown pull ahead of Husted in the Senate race, winning with a lead of 53% to 45%, which is beyond the poll’s margin of error.
Brown boasts an impressive 98% approval rating among Democrats compared to Husted’s 86% among Republicans. Interestingly, Brown finds some support from non-affiliated voters as well; 31% of non-MAGA Republicans like him, while only 2% of Democrats favor Husted.
Supporters of Husted seem to come from groups like white evangelical Christians, rural voters, and white men without a college degree. On the flip side, Brown attracts younger voters, independents, and women significantly more. Among voters under 45, he holds a 23-point advantage, while overall, support is split evenly among white voters.
Currently, they’re both competing for the Senate seat previously held by Husted, who stepped in after Vance became vice president. Brown is aiming to reclaim his Senate seat after a narrow defeat to Bernie Moreno in the last election.
Confidence levels among voters show that about 73% of Brown’s supporters and 69% of Husted’s feel certain about their choices. Yet, one in four voters remains undecided, which could influence the outcome.
Looking at turnout intentions, 82% of Democrats express strong likelihood to vote compared to 76% of Republicans. Among Brown’s supporters, 68% say they vote for him rather than against Husted, while Husted’s backers appear less passionate, with a split in support leaning slightly in his favor.
Concerns about Trump are evident; in fact, more Ohioans worry about Husted’s connection to him than any perceived liberal tendencies of Brown. Voters appear more concerned about inflation as the primary issue—43% say it’s their top concern—while other issues like healthcare and immigration lag far behind.
On a personal note, it’s worth mentioning that a growing number of Ohioans feel they are financially struggling. The figure increased from 32% to 39% since the last survey. In contrast, more claim their financial situation is stable, but that number has dropped a bit.
Daron Shaw, a Republican pollster, suggests that while Ohio is still a Republican stronghold, Democrats are rallying together against the Trump faction, gaining independent support for Brown.
The gubernatorial race is close as well, with Democrat Amy Acton at 50% and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy at 49%. Most Democrats back Acton, while a significant number of Republicans support Ramaswamy. Interestingly, many voters express that their support is more about opposing other candidates rather than enthusiasm for their own.
When judging the popularity of Acton and Ramaswamy, Acton has a slight edge with a positive rating of 46% favorable to 37% unfavorable, while Ramaswamy is tightly rated at 45% to 44%. As for incumbent Governor Mike DeWine, his numbers reflect an even split, though he’s trailing slightly.
Interestingly, Ohio voters largely disapprove of a proposed AI data center, with 65% against its construction—this sentiment crosses party lines, with majorities of all groups opposing it.
The poll was conducted from May 28 to June 1, 2026, and gathered responses from a randomized sample of 1,015 registered Ohio voters. Results have a margin of sampling error of ± 3 percentage points.
