Amy Acton Within Striking Distance of Vivek Ramaswamy in Ohio: New Poll

Voters in Ohio are virtually split between Democrat Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the race to become Ohio’s next governor, a new poll shows.

Why It Matters

The Ohio race is expected to be among the most competitive of this year’s midterm elections. Despite Ohio's conservative tilt, Democrats believe a favorable environment, fueled by President Donald Trump's declining approval rating, could make the race competitive in November. A flurry of recent polls showed Acton with a lead over Ramaswamy.

Governor Ted Strickland, who served one term between 2007 and 2011, was the most recent Democrat to hold the office.

What To Know

The survey released Monday found 48 percent of registered Ohio voters support Ramaswamy, closely followed by Acton at 47 percent. Five percent of respondents in the Buckeye State indicated “someone else,” according to the poll conducted by Bowling Green State University/YouGov.

The poll of 1,000 likely voters in early April also found 40 percent of respondents believe Acton will win Ohio’s governor race in November regardless of their preference-compared to 60 percent for Ramaswamy, who ran an unsuccessful bid for the White House in 2024.

Acton previously led Ohio’s Department of Health during the pandemic. Twenty-six percent of those polled said it’s “neither more nor less likely” her job performance will impact their vote.

Ramaswamy, meanwhile, enjoys a slightly higher favorability rating than Acton among likely voters-17 to 14 percent, respectively, according to Monday’s poll. But 31 percent of those surveyed said they had a “strongly unfavorable” view of the former biotech entrepreneur and ally of President Trump, compared to 19 percent for Acton.

The poll, which has a margin of error of roughly 4 percent, comes amid Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine‘s defense of Acton following an attack ad by Ramaswamy accusing her of abusing power during the state’s 2020 election delay.

Ramaswamy had accused Acton of “calling off Ohio’s election at the last minute” in 2020 in his recent ad, prompting DeWine to dispute the claim.

“In government this happens all the time,” DeWine told Columbus-based news station WCMH. “Do you think a member of the president's cabinet would issue this kind of order without his approval? I told her to issue the health order. The decision was mine.”

Acton ordered polls to be closed the night before the state's scheduled primary election in March 2020 amid coronavirus fears under DeWine’s direction, he confirmed.

“Amy Acton is running to deliver for Ohioans, from lowering costs to tackling the rampant corruption in our statehouse that continues to put the ultra-wealthy over the needs of working Ohioans,” Acton spokesperson Addie Bullock told Newsweek last week. “While Vivek Ramaswamy flies around in a private jet saying affordability is just a buzzword, Amy is fighting for a working families tax cut, to lower the rising cost of healthcare, and to build a state where all of us can get ahead.”

Robert Alexander, professor of political science at Bowling Green State University, has said Acton is likely benefiting from a national mood that is a “bit sour” on Trump.

"It is hard to make too much of the polls at this point, except that the Acton camp has to be happy with how competitive they appear to be in a state Republicans have largely dominated in statewide elections for several decades," Alexander told Newsweek last week.

But Acton nevertheless has a “narrow path to victory,” he said.

“She needs to do what she can to define herself and her priorities,” he continued. “While doing so, she should bang the drum of economic populism and make the case for change. Much of the polling in Ohio shows an electorate that is very frustrated. Donald Trump was able to tap into that economic frustration as did Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012.”

Acton is running unopposed, while Ramaswamy is in a four-way race for the GOP nomination. The odds of a Democrat becoming Ohio’s next governor stood at 56 percent as of late Monday, compared to 43 among Republicans, according to a popular prediction market.

Trump won Ohio by about 11 percentage points in 2024, an increase from the roughly 8 percent margins he enjoyed in 2020 and 2016. But President Barack Obama narrowly carried the state in 2008 and 2012.

What the Polls Show

Recent polling points to a close race.

A Quantus Insights poll conducted March 13-14 among 809 likely voters found Acton with 46 percent support and Ramaswamy with 45 percent, while 6 percent were undecided and 3 percent favored another candidate. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

An EMC Research poll conducted between February 10-22 among 1,343 likely voters showed Acton leading 53 percent to 43 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

A poll from Emerson College found Acton at 46 percent and Ramaswamy at 45 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. It surveyed 850 registered voters from December 6-8, 2025.

Earlier polling from Bowling Green State University, conducted October 2-14, 2025 among 800 registered voters, showed Ramaswamy ahead 50 percent to 47 percent, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points, according to compiled polling data.

Sabato's Crystal Ball, an elections forecaster, shifted the race from "Likely Republican" to "Leans Republican" last month. Analysts Kyle Kondik and J. Miles Coleman wrote at the time Ramaswamy is well funded and has begun sustained television advertising but the broader political environment in 2026 appears less favorable to Republicans than in recent cycles.

They said Acton faces challenges tied to her visibility during the state's COVID-19 response, writing she "may just remind voters of a time they do not want to remember."

Ohio’s Senate Race

Ohio’s two current senators, Jon Husted and Bernie Moreno, are both Republicans. Former Democrat Senator Sherrod Brown won reelection 2018 but lost to Moreno by less than 4 percentage points two years ago.

Brown, who has launched a comeback bid, led Husted by two points (47 percent to 45 percent) in a poll conducted last month by OnMessage Public Strategies, a GOP firm. The survey, which also showed 8 percent undecided, has a margin of error of 4 percent.

What Happens Next

Ohio's primary is set for Tuesday, May 5 ahead of the November 3 general election.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published April 20, 2026 at 5:54 PM.