COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s contests for U.S. Senate and governor remain essentially wide open less than two months before Election Day, according to a new Bowling Green State University poll. Democrat Sherrod Brown led Republican Sen. Jon Husted 48% to 45% among likely voters in the special Senate election. In the governor’s race, Democrat Amy Acton held an identical 48%-45% advantage over Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Neither margin exceeds the survey’s margin of error, which is plus or minus 3.96 percentage points. The poll was conducted online Sept. 1-10 among 1,000 likely Ohio voters by BGSU’s Democracy and Public Policy Research Network and YouGov. Participants were matched and weighted using demographic information and their votes in the 2024 presidential election. Despite the Democratic leads, respondents were more likely to forecast Republican wins. Fifty-three percent said they expected Husted to win the Senate race, compared with 45% who predicted a Brown victory. In the governor’s contest, 62% expected Ramaswamy to prevail, while 36% picked Acton. The results add to a series of polls portraying both races as competitive, though the size and direction of the leads have varied. An August Fox News survey showed Brown ahead by eight points while giving Ramaswamy a two-point edge. Differences in samples and polling methods make direct comparisons difficult. Brown was the only candidate in the four-way comparison with a slightly higher favorable rating than unfavorable rating: 42% viewed him favorably and 41% unfavorably. Husted’s ratings were 35% favorable and 46% unfavorable. Acton was viewed favorably by 41% and unfavorably by 42%, while Ramaswamy received a 36% favorable rating and a 47% unfavorable rating. Voters also expressed mixed reactions to the candidates’ professional backgrounds. Acton’s work as Ohio’s health director during the early COVID-19 pandemic made 33% more likely to support her and 40% less likely. Ramaswamy’s experience as an entrepreneur and investor made 32% more likely to support him and 40% less likely. Economic concerns dominated the survey. Forty percent of respondents named the economy as their top political concern, followed by inflation at 34%, government corruption at 28%, health care at 24% and threats to democracy at 23%. Sixty-five percent said the national economy had worsened, while only 17% said it had improved. Forty-four percent said their own financial situation had deteriorated, compared with 17% who said it had improved. Overall, 61% said the country was on the wrong track, and 52% said Ohio was headed in the wrong direction. President Donald Trump’s job performance received a 40% approval rating and 60% disapproval rating in the survey. Trump’s favorable rating was 40%, compared with 56% unfavorable. Respondents opposed his tariff policies and the U.S. military campaign against Iran, while views were evenly divided on his efforts to reduce gas prices. Fifty-two percent supported his policies intended to make groceries more affordable. The poll also found strong support for several policy positions with direct implications for Ohio communities. Sixty-four percent favored Issue 3, a proposed constitutional photo-identification requirement, while 29% opposed it. Ohio already requires photo identification for in-person voting; the amendment would place that requirement in the state Constitution and establish identification rules for absentee voting. Seventy-eight percent supported a temporary pause on new data-center construction while officials gather more information about its effects. Three-quarters opposed having a data center built in their own community, reflecting growing concern about the facilities’ demands on electricity, water and local infrastructure. Voters were nearly evenly divided on congressional preferences, with 48% saying they would support a Democratic candidate in their district and 47% choosing a Republican. Televised debates were considered extremely or very important by 55% of respondents in the governor’s race and 54% in the Senate contest. Brown served in the U.S. Senate from 2007 through 2025 before losing to Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024. Husted, previously Ohio’s lieutenant governor, was appointed to the Senate by Gov. Mike DeWine after J.D. Vance left the seat to become vice president. The special-election winner will serve the remainder of Vance’s term, which ends in January 2029. Acton is best known statewide for her tenure as Ohio’s health director during the pandemic. Ramaswamy, a biotech and investment executive who ran for president in 2024 before endorsing Trump, has not previously held elected office. Acton also has no prior elected-office experience. Ohio voters will choose a senator and governor on Nov. 3.