Some Ohio residents are celebrating after a new poll showed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton slightly ahead of her Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy. But amid the excitement, plenty of residents on the r/Ohio subreddit had the same warning for fellow voters: don’t get comfortable just yet.
According to a Newsweek report, the latest Bowling Green State University poll, released Wednesday, found Acton with support from 48% of likely Ohio voters compared with 45% for Ramaswamy. The three-point difference comes as the two candidates head into the final stretch of the race to replace term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.
The numbers also represent a change from where the race stood earlier in the year. A May survey of Ohio lawmakers published by the Ohio Capital Journal reportedly found that respondents largely expected Ramaswamy to win, although that survey measured lawmakers’ expectations rather than voter preferences and is therefore not directly comparable with the new BGSU poll.
On the Ohio subreddit, the latest polling delighted some residents, who wanted to see Acton with a narrow advantage.
“GO AMY!!!” one Redditor cheered. Another commented, “Vote Amy and vote straight blue ticket.” Someone else urged, “Don’t leave her hanging! Get out and vote!” A fourth pleaded, “Vote like she needs 10 votes to win, and bring 11 of your friends/relatives/coworkers/random people on the street. We need numbers.”
At the same time, several other residents were reluctant to put much faith in polling results before Election Day.
“Good news but please still go out and vote, after the last election I don’t put much stake in polls,” one person cautioned. Another agreed, writing, “The polls that actually matter are the ones on Election Day. I’ll believe it if they report he lost.”
A third exclaimed, “Polls mean nothing! Vote and take friends!” Another added, “We can’t afford complacency. Even if you have to hold your nose to do it, vote for Acton.”
There were also those who took shots at Ramaswamy, with one writing, “I’m surprised he has any support tbh,” and another saying, “He is so unlikable.”
A commenter criticized the GOP’s record in the state. “Republicans have been in control of Ohio for over 20 years. They have done nothing for you.”
Republicans currently hold considerable power in Ohio’s state government. The party has a 65-34 majority in the Ohio House, giving it a supermajority, and Republicans also control the state Senate.
The latest poll itself offers a reason for the caution running through the comments. While Acton received 48% support compared with Ramaswamy’s 45%, voters gave a very different answer when asked who they expected to win. Sixty-two percent said Ramaswamy, compared with 36% who expected Acton to triumph.
That disconnect makes the poll an interesting snapshot of the race rather than a forecast of how November will turn out. With the election still weeks away, the numbers show where the surveyed likely voters stood at the time they were questioned, not who will ultimately win.
