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Latest Poll Shows Petro-Blackwell Race in Dead Heat PDF Print E-mail
Written by Daniel White   
Monday, 12 December 2005

The Petro Campaign has released the results of a poll showing him in a dead tie with Ken Blackwell in the race for the GOP nomination to be Ohio's next governor.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2005

COLUMBUS - Public Opinion Strategies released today the latest poll on the campaign for the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio that shows a dead heat race between Jim Petro and Ken Blackwell.

The poll shows that a two-way match up between Jim Petro and Ken Blackwell is even with both candidates at 33%. In a two-way match up between Ken Blackwell and Betty Montgomery; Blackwell leads Montgomery by 18%.

Two-way Race POS Poll 12/6-7/05
Jim Petro 33% Betty Montgomery 22%
Ken Blackwell 33% Ken Blackwell 40%
Undecided 33% Undecided 37%

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"Petro's advertising has helped fuel a significant surge in the polls and a tightening of the race for the Republican nomination," said Neil Newhouse, founding partner of Public Opinion Strategies.

"Another unmistakable conclusion," Newhouse added, "is that this three-way contest appears to be, in reality, a two-way race between Jim Petro and Ken Blackwell."

Ads Impact the Race

Fully 47% of poll respondents have seen at least one of Petro's recent campaign ads. Of those respondents that have seen a recent Petro-Heimlich commercial, Jim Petro holds a commanding 15-point lead in a three-way race. Among commercial viewers in a head to head race with Ken Blackwell; Petro leads Blackwell by 17%.

Three-Way Race Seen TV Ads
Jim Petro 39%
Ken Blackwell 24%
Betty Montgomery 10%
Undecided 27%
Two-way Race Seen TV Ads
Jim Petro 46%
Ken Blackwell 29%
Undecided 25%


"The strategy behind this ad campaign has paid huge dividends," said Bob Paduchik, Petro-Heimlich chairman. "The people that hear Jim Petro's message are giving overwhelming support to his campaign for Governor."

Petro Claims Momentum

"It is clear that people across Ohio are responding to my plans to cap taxes and restructure state government," said Jim Petro. "I look forward to using this momentum to win the Republican nomination and leading our party to victory in the General Election."

The poll shows considerable momentum for Jim Petro who has picked up 9% on frontrunner Ken Blackwell since an October Columbus Dispatch Poll. Petro has solidified a strong second place position and is a clear contender in a three-way race.

Three-Way Race Dispatch Poll 10/8/05 POS Poll 12/6-7/05 Movement
Jim Petro 18% 25% +7%
Ken Blackwell 32% 30% -2%
Betty Montgomery 16% 12% -4%
Undecided 34% 34% ---


The Public Opinion Strategies poll of 500 likely Republican Primary voters was conducted December 6-7, 2005 and has a margin of error +/- 4.38%.

The Dispatch Poll was conducted September 22 through October 8, 2005 and has an overall margin of error of +/- 2.6%.

About Public Opinion Strategies

Public Opinion Strategies (POS) is a national political and public affairs research firm. Founded in 1991, POS has conducted more than two million interviews with voters and consumers in all fifty states and over a dozen foreign countries.

Neil Newhouse is a partner and co-founder of POS and has worked in the field of public opinion research for more than twenty years, has directed the research for thousands of individual projects, and has experience in every aspect of opinion research. Neil has helped elect fifteen current members of Congress, four U.S. Senators and five Governors. He is highly regarded as an expert on polling Ohio races.

Prior to co-founding Public Opinion Strategies, Neil was Executive Vice President of The Wirthlin Group. Neil is originally from Kansas City, graduated from Duke University and attended graduate school at the University of Virginia. He currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife and two children.