A recent poll reveals Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose as the frontrunner in a hypothetical Republican primary to fill the Senate seat soon to be vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance. Conducted by WPA Intelligence, the poll shows LaRose with 17% support, followed by Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted at 10% and Attorney General Dave Yost at 9%. A significant portion of likely voters, 39%, remain undecided.
Other contenders, including Rep. Mike Carey and attorney Mehek Cooke, trailed significantly with 2% and 1% support, respectively. While both Carey and LaRose have received endorsements from former President Trump in the past, LaRose garnered 30% support among voters considering previous Trump endorsements, compared to Carey's 7%.
The WPA Intelligence poll, conducted from November 17-20, surveyed 1,028 likely Ohio voters statewide through phone and online interviews, with a margin of error of 3.1%. The ultimate decision of who will fill the Senate seat rests with Governor Mike DeWine, who has stated he's seeking a candidate dedicated to serving Ohio's interests.
WPA Intelligence concluded that LaRose appears to be the strongest Republican candidate, both in terms of replacing Vance and potentially facing a Democratic challenger in a future election. LaRose has been recognized for his efforts to ensure election integrity, including removing inaccurate voter registrations and challenging the Biden administration's stance on voter roll maintenance.
