Dayton Business Journal...
Poll: Cain a favorite among Ohio Republicans
by Rick Rouan
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 

Herman Cain has become the apple of Ohio Republicans’ eyes, but the former Godfather’s Pizza CEO still represents the party’s second-best chance to unseat President Barack Obama, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday. 

Cain has the support of 28 percent of Ohio Republicans compared with 23 percent for Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, according to the poll. 

But Romney maintains the closest margin with Obama among Republican presidential contenders, the survey showed. Obama leads Romney 45 percent to 41 percent compared with a 47-to-39 margin over Cain. 

Earlier this week, another poll had Romney even with Obama at 46 percent each. 

Cain’s rise in Ohio has been at the expense of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has the support of only 4 percent of Ohio Republicans and would lose to Obama 47 percent to 36 percent, the institute reported. 

“There is a zero-sum relationship between how well Cain and Perry do,” said Peter Brown, the institute’s assistant director, in a release. “A large chunk of the new Cain support is coming from former supporters of the Texas governor.” 

Obama leads all Republican presidential candidates despite waning approval among Ohio voters, who said by a margin of 49 to 44 percent that he does not deserve a second term, according to the poll. 

Quinnipiac reported that U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown has maintained his lead over two Republican challengers as well. Brown leads Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel 49 percent to 34 percent and state Sen. Kevin Coughlin 51 percent to 34 percent thanks, in part, to a lack of recognition among voters for the Republican candidates, the institute reported. 

Voters preferred Mandel to Coughlin 34 percent to 12 percent, with 48 percent of voters undecided, the poll showed. 

Read this article, a link to the poll, and other articles at Dayton Business Journal