Obama tanking in Ohio

Timothy McNulty | July 7, 2009

Barack Obama's poll numbers are tumbling next door, Real Clear Politics says, and US Senate matchups are tightening too:

President Obama's job approval in Ohio has dropped significantly in the last two months, dipping under the 50% mark for the first time, according to a new poll by Quinnipiac University. In the last Quinnipiac poll in Ohio taken in early May, Obama enjoyed a healthy 62% job approval rating, with only 31% disapproving. Today, Obama's job approval stands at 49%, with 44% disapproving - a twenty-five point net drop in just eight weeks.

Not surprsingly, Obama has seen a corresponding drop among voters' approval of his handling of the economy: two months ago he had a net +21 approval (57/36), today it is -2 (46/48).

In the 2010 race for Senate, Rob Portman is well ahead of Tom Ganley for the Republican nomination while Lee Fisher ahead of Jennifer Brunner by a nose for the Democratic nomination:

Republicans
Portman 33
Ganley 10
Undecided 55

Democrats
Fisher 24
Brunner 21
Undecided 51

In general election match ups, both Fisher and Brunner run slightly ahead of Portman, though their leads have nearly evaporated over the last eight weeks:

General Election: Fisher (D) v. Portman (R)
Fisher 37 (-5 vs. last poll May 6)
Portman 33 (+2)
Undecided 26 (nc)

(See all Fisher-Portman polls here.)

General Election: Brunner (D) v. Portman (R)
Brunner 35 (-5)
Portman 34 (+2)
Undecided 29 (+2)

(See all Brunner-Portman polls here.)