Shontel Brown gaining ground against Nina Turner in Ohio: poll

Democratic candidate for Ohio’s 11th Congressional District Shontel Brown appears to be gaining ground on front-runner Nina Turner in the race’s Democratic primary, according to a new poll. 

Forty-one percent of likely primary voters backed Turner in the poll, while 36 percent threw their support behind Brown. The poll, which has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points, was conducted by the Mellman Group for the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC. The group has endorsed Brown and has poured money into television advertising ahead of the race.

Jewish Insider was the first outlet to report on the survey.

The poll is the latest to show a tightening race between Turner and Brown. An internal poll from Brown’s campaign showed Turner leading 43 percent to 36 percent, marking a 26 point jump for Brown since April. Meanwhile, another recent poll from the Washington Free Beacon showed Turner and Brown tied at 33 percent. 

Brown’s allies have attributed her jump in the polls to increased spending and advertising on their side of the race. 

The race in the Cleveland-area race to replace Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge has become a proxy battle for the Democratic Party establishment and national progressives. Brown, who serves as Cuyahoga County Democratic Chair, has garnered the support of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who is set to join Brown on the campaign trail.

Turner, a former state senator and chairwoman of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign, has the support of Sanders and progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.). Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez are slated to hit the campaign trail for Turner. 

The winner of the primary is likely to win the general election for the district, which leans heavily Democratic. The primary is set for Aug. 3. 

The Democratic Majority for Israel PAC poll was conducted July 13-17 among 400 likely primary voters in Ohio’s 11th District.