Rasmussen is now reporting that Sherrod Brown has taken the lead from Mike DeWine for the OH-Senate race:

Here we go again. For the second time in three consecutive election polls of Ohio’s competitive race for U.S. Senate, the Democratic challenger has edged ahead of the Republican incumbent.

Despite the seven-point edge Senator Mike DeWine enjoyed last month, this doesn’t look like a statistical blip: before these last three polls, DeWine had not trailed even once. Moreover, our three-poll rolling average shows a relatively stable five-point margin for DeWine earlier in the year that has now tapered to a tie. The race is clearly trending away from the incumbent.

Currently Brown has 44% and DeWine has 42%. The interesting part is that this leaves 14% undecided so the race is still very open and the fact that an incumbent like DeWine is now behind is a very good sign for the Democrats.

Rasmussen also has Ted Strickland holding an 11 point lead over Ken Blackwell for the Governor race:

Unlike the U.S. Senate race in the state, Ohio’s gubernatorial contest is not showing much movement.

The latest Rasmussen Reports election poll in Ohio shows Democratic Congressman Ted Strickland leading Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell 50% to 39% (see crosstabs). Strickland continues to do better among unaffiliated voters and especially moderates, and manages to lure 23% of GOP voters. Blackwell attracts the support of only 9% of Democrats.

Strickland is viewed favorably by 51% of all voters, Blackwell by 43%. Blackwell, looked on unfavorably by 48%. This figure includes a high number (31%) who view him “very” unfavorably. That’s up six percentage points since June.

(emphasis mine)

That number is very impressive. One fourth of the Republicans here in Ohio have seen what kind of a corrupt, radical, wingnut Blackwell truly is and they want to keep him away from Columbus as much as possible.

Speaking of Blackwell, I received this very interesting email notice earlier from the Ohio Democratic Party:

Bush sneaks to town

Millionaires to mingle with Bush and Blackwell

As GOP “Noe” Culture Re-Emerges

For Immediate Release                                                                      August 1, 2006

Contact: Brian Rothenberg, Communications Director                 614-221-6563

Columbus, Ohio – Whether it is public opinion backlash from Katrina or Iraq, or President Bush’s abysmal Ohio approval rating that is mired in the mid-30 percent range in most Ohio polls, President Bush is sneaking into northern Ohio for a Ken Blackwell fundraiser in posh Kirtland Hills Wednesday.  

Mingling with millionaires, Bush and Blackwell, both millionaire’s themselves, will host a tightly controlled non-public fundraiser, in flood-ravaged Lake County, to raise $2 million for Bush’s friend, Ken Blackwell’s, campaign for Ohio Governor. There is, of course, one key Bush donor from 2004 missing from Wednesday’s event – Toledo GOP operative Tom Noe. 

With the specter of Noe’s conviction for funneling funds to the President’s re-election campaign still fresh in the buckeye state air, Bush is now attempting to boost Blackwell’s campaign which a recent Columbus Dispatch poll reported as 20 points down. “It’s payback time for Ken Blackwell’s role in the 2004 election,” said Chris Redfern, Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party.  

 “Ken Blackwell will reap the benefits of a Republican fundraising machine that has led to a culture of corruption in Washington D.C. and Columbus,” said Redfern. “This is the same pay-to-play culture that Tom Noe plead guilty to earlier this summer. The more things change, the more the GOP stays the same, is it any wonder that Ken Blackwell is 20 points behind?” 

As Bush’s Ohio campaign chair in 2004, it was Blackwell’s job to win the state for Bush even as he counted the votes as secretary of state.  

KEY DATES IN THE BUSH/BLACKWELL RELATIONSHIP 

• President Bush and Ken Blackwell’s relationship dates back to 2000, when Blackwell served as Bush’s “principal electoral system adviser” during the Florida recount. “I thought it would be a missed opportunity if I didn’t come down and take part in this historic civics lesson,” he told the Columbus Dispatch. [11/16/00]
• Four years later while overseeing the 2004 Election, “Longline” Blackwell was Co-Chair of President Bush’s Ohio campaign. Blackwell oversaw a 2004 election that was plagued by hours-long lines to vote, the haphazard use of new electronic voting machines and the disqualification of tens of thousands of provisional ballots cast by registered voters.
• Both men pay lip service to controlling spending, but President Bush has wracked up the largest budget deficits in the history of our nation, totaling more than $400 billion in 2004 alone.

Meanwhile, Blackwell consistently says “Ohio has a spending problem,” [Columbus Dispatch, 3/4/05] but Blackwell hiked spending dramatically in both statewide posts he’s held.

• As secretary of state, Blackwell increased overall spending by 73 percent, according to the Columbus Dispatch, by hiking user fees. [4/9/06]
• And as treasurer, Blackwell asked for a 42 percent spending increase, the highest of any statewide official. [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 2/24/95]

Under Republican leadership at the state and national level, Ohio has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs, seen tens of thousands lose their health insurance and watched tuition costs soar. “Ken Blackwell is more of the same for Ohio families,” said Redfern. “It’s time for change.”

I guess Bush is giving some payback to Blackwell for his help in 2004. Actually I hope the word of this gets out so that more people realize how buddy/buddy Blackwell and Bush are (Blackwell did serve in Bush Sr.’s administration). Remember Ohio – a vote for Blackwell is the same as putting the idiot from Pennsylvania Avenue in Columbus. We can not let this happen!