2006 United States Senate election in Ohio
Template:Future election The Ohio Senate election of 2006 will be held on November 7, 2006. Whoever is elected will serve between January 3, 2007 and January 3, 2013.
The incumbent Republican Senator, R. Michael DeWine has approval ratings at 47%[1] and the current Coingate scandal involving the Ohio Republican Party could hurt his re-election chances. Although Dewine himself was not involved in the scandal. Democratic hopes have also been raised by the unpopularity of Republican Governor Robert A. Taft II. The senator's son, R. Patrick DeWine, finished a distant fourth place in the June 5, 2005, primary for the Republican nomination for the Second Congressional District, suggesting that DeWine's influence might be waning.
Sherrod Brown, former Ohio Secretary of State, and current U.S. Representative from Ohio's 13th district is the Democratic candidate.
May primaries
DeWine faced a primary challenge from Republicans William G. Pierce, an engineer, and David R. Smith, an unsuccessful candidate in 2005 in Ohio (2nd Congressional District), and in 2004 in Tennessee. Both candidates campaigned as conservative alternatives to DeWine, citing DeWine's support for legal abortion and his role as one of the Republican members of the Gang of 14 who compromised with Democrats in a dispute about judicial appointments. DeWine won 71.82% of the votes.[2]
Democrat Paul Hackett, an Iraq War veteran who has been critical of President Bush's foreign policy, announced on February 13, 2006 that he would withdraw from the race, because national party leaders had decided that Sherrod Brown had a better chance against DeWine. The Plain Dealer (2/18/06) also reported that there had been concerns that Hackett, who dislikes fundraising, might not have had enough money after the primary to run the statewide advertising customary for a Senate camapaign.
Brown faced Merrill Keiser Jr., a trucking business owner/operator and Vietnam veteran, in the Democratic primary; Brown won with 78.05% of the vote.[3]
A targeted race
Most political watchers believe DeWine is one of the Senate's most vulnerable incumbents in Senate 2006 elections. Because this race is targeted by Democrats, it makes it all the more important to the GOP, who desire to retain Senate control. John McClelland, a spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party said, "It's vitally important to the Republican Party as a whole, so I think that's why you see the president coming to Ohio to support Mike DeWine". Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee said, "Mike DeWine is in for the fight of his life, make no mistake about it". [4]
Independent/third party candidates
There is one known third-party candidate:
- George Mays (Independent) - Karaoke and D.J. company owner. Mays is endorsed by the Ohio Reform Party, the New Frontier Coalition, and the Libertarians of the Northeast region.
Funds Raised
Dewine continues to double Brown in cash on hand. Mays has yet to file a campaign report with the FEC. Totals through June 30.
| Candidate | Funds Raised [5] | Cash On-Hand [6] |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Dewine (R) | $7,772,534 | $6,635,440 |
| Sherrod Brown (D) | $3,712,862 | $3,718,577 |
Opinion Polls
| Source | Date | Brown (D) | DeWine (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rasmussen | September 10, 2006 | 47% | 41% |
| Zogby/WSJ | September 10, 2006 | 44.7% | 40.7% |
| Gallup | September 5, 2006 | 46% | 40% |
| Zogby/WSJ | August 28, 2006 | 47.2% | 38.7% |
| Rasmussen | August 26, 2006 | 45% | 42% |
| SurveyUSA | August 5, 2006 | 49% | 41% |
| Rasmussen | August 1, 2006 | 44% | 42% |
| Zogby/WSJ | July 24, 2006 | 45.2% | 36.6% |
| Columbus Dispatch | July 23, 2006 | 45% | 37% |
| Rasmussen | June 27, 2006 | 39% | 46% |
| Zogby/WSJ | June 21, 2006 | 46.7% | 34.0% |
| Survey USA | June 13, 2006 | 48% | 39% |
| University of Cincinnati | May 25, 2006 | 42% | 52% |
| Rasmussen | May 15, 2006 | 44% | 41% |
| Rasmussen | April 24, 2006 | 41% | 43% |
| Zogby/WSJ | March 31, 2006 | 46% | 37% |
| Rasmussen | March 31, 2006 | 42% | 45% |
| Rasmussen | February 18, 2006 | 37% | 46% |
| Rasmussen | January 7, 2006 | 40% | 45% |
| Rasmussen | December 2, 2005 | 41% | 43% |
| Zogby | October 31, 2005 | 40.0% | 36.7% |
See also
External links
- Mike DeWine for Senate
- Sherrod Brown for Senate
- George Mays for Senate
- 2006 Ohio Senate race profile, analysis of campaign finances by the Center for Responsive Politics.
- Senator Mike Dewine, positions and voting record, an anlysis by Project Vote Smart.
- Representative Sherrod Brown positions and voting record, an analysis by Project Vote Smart.
| Preceded by 2004 |
Ohio U.S. Senate elections 2006 |
Succeeded by 2010 |
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