Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is facing a competitive race to fill the Senate seat being vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance. In a recent poll by WPA Intelligence, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose appears to be leading the pack in a hypothetical GOP primary, garnering support from 17% of respondents. His closest rival, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, trails behind with 7%.
Other candidates include Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, who has 9% support, and Congressman Mike Carey, who is actively campaigning for the position but only received 2% in the poll. Republican attorney Mehek Cooke, who previously backed the Trump campaign, earned 1% support.
Importantly, a large portion of voters, about 39%, remain undecided. The poll, conducted from November 17 to 20, surveyed 1,028 likely voters in Ohio and has a margin of error of 3.1%.
LaRose also tops the list among candidates who have previously received endorsements from President Trump. In this category, he holds 30% of the votes, with former Congressman Jim Renacci as his nearest competitor.
Both Trump and Vance have not yet commented on their preferred candidate for the seat, which is expected to be a crucial factor in the final decision. Governor DeWine has indicated that he is considering his options carefully and seeks a candidate who will represent Ohio’s interests vigorously.
WPA’s analysis suggests that LaRose is the “strongest GOP choice” to fill Vance’s seat and has the best chance of defeating a Democratic opponent in future elections. As Secretary of State, LaRose has been active in efforts to maintain election integrity, including purging inaccurate voter registrations and challenging the Biden administration on voter roll management.
Governor DeWine has expressed his commitment to finding a candidate who will consistently fight for Ohio and its residents as this process unfolds.
