(The Center Square) – Incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown continues to hold a slim lead over Republican challenger Bernie Moreno, according to a new poll.
The Bowling Green State University and Public Policy Research Network poll of 1,000 likely voters shows Brown leads Moreno 49%-45%. Brown has won each of his last six campaigns by at least 6 points.
The poll also shows Brown as the only public figure with a net positive favorability rating among respondents of plus-1. Moreno has the lowest rating of minus-14.
The poll also showed respondents believe the current political environment is the most toxic it has been in their lifetimes, with 84% agreeing. Another 85% think it is important for people with differences of opinion to talk to one another.
Eighty-six percent feel exhausted and 85% feel angry at least some of the time when thinking about politics. There are 79% who believe the current political climate will lead to more violence, and another 82% believe it has weakened the U.S. on the world stage.
The poll also showed that 88% of Democrats believe Republicans are close-minded; 84% believe they are dishonest; and 75% believe they are immoral.
At the same time, 79% of Republicans believe Democrats are dishonest, 74% believe they are immoral, and 59% believe they are lazy.
“The differences in how Democrats and Republicans currently view one another is sobering,” Bowling Green’s Robert Alexander said. “Calls for civil discourse are difficult when so many see ‘the other side’ as immoral and dishonest.”
The web-based poll of 1,000 likely Ohio voters was conducted Sept. 18 through Sunday. Its margin of error is +/- 3.6%.
