New polls show Democratic race to replace Fudge tightening in Ohio

A pair of new polls show the race to fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District has begun to tighten, as Nina Turner’s lead has narrowed ahead of next month’s special election.

An internal poll released by Cuyahoga County Democratic Chair Shontel Brown, who is also competing in the race, showed she and Turner leading the Democratic primary field, with Brown beginning to gain momentum in the race.

The poll, conducted between July 6-8 among 400 likely Democratic primary special election voters, shows Turner with 43 percent of the vote and Brown’s campaign gaining traction with 36 percent of the vote.

The poll, which has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points, indicates a 26-point jump for Brown’s campaign since April and a one-point increase for Turner’s campaign in the same time span.

The survey was conducted by telephone by Democratic polling and strategy firm Normington Petts.

A recent poll released by The Washington Free Beacon shows Turner and Brown similarly leading the other primary contenders in a tie, with both securing 33 percent of the vote in the race.

The polls could spell trouble for Turner, who was previously seen as the clear front-runner in the race. 

In recent weeks, Brown has notched endorsements from more established Democrats and organizations as she works to gain ground against the progressive firebrand. 

Brown has received backing from Democratic heavyweights such as former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.), as well as the fundraising arm of the Congressional Black Caucus earlier this month. 

By contrast, Turner, a former Ohio state senator who previously served as a national co-chairman of Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I-Vt.) 2020 presidential campaign, has attracted a number of endorsements from more progressive lawmakers, including Reps. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).

Earlier this month, Ohio’s largest newspaper, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, announced its support of Turner in an editorial ahead of the August primary.