Ohio voters share thoughts on President Biden, democracy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – An exclusive Spectrum News/Siena College poll released on Tuesday takes the pulse of Ohio voters ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The poll finds 45% of Ohio voters feel the state is on the right track, while 35% think it’s headed in the wrong direction.

Professor Cherie Strachan, director of the Bliss Institute at The University of Akron, said it’s unsurprising, given Ohio has become redder in recent years.

“We have a Republican governor who’s doing really well in his own campaign, and we have a Republican-controlled House,” she told Spectrum News.

The poll was conducted Sept. 18 – 22, 642 likely Ohio voters participated and it has a 4.4% margin-of-error.

As President Joe Biden spends the campaign season touting his recent legislative accomplishments, the poll finds few Ohioans share his optimism.

Just 25% of Ohio voters think the country is on the right track, while 68% feel it’s headed in the wrong direction.

Biden’s approval rating in Ohio stands at 41%, according to the poll, while 56% of voters – mostly Republicans – disapprove.

Voters like Mike Ahern, a longtime independent from Columbus, are heading into November prioritizing an issue they never thought would be top of mind: the state of democracy in America.

“I think this upcoming election is less of a policy election than it is a democracy election,” Ahern told Spectrum News.

The Spectrum News/Siena College poll finds just 37% of voters feel optimistic about the state of democracy and 56% feel pessimistic. 

“For Democrats, it’s Trump’s lies about the election and the after effects of January 6th. For a lot of Republicans, it may be a legitimate feeling that 2020 was stolen – again, even though there’s not good evidence to back that up,” said Kyle Kondik, an Ohio native who tracks elections for the University of Virginia. 

The poll finds one-third of Ohio voters – all Republican – believe the baseless claim that Donald Trump won the 2020 election.

With control of Congress up for grabs this cycle, Ohio voters were also asked who they hope wins. One-third want Democrats to stay in control; 41% want Republicans in control; and 22% want divided control.