# 2016 United States Senate election in Ohio

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vte :
The 2016 United States Senate election in Ohio was held on November 8, 2016, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Ohio, concurrently with the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections. The close of registration for electors in the primary election was December 16, 2015, and the primary election took place on March 15, 2016. Incumbent Republican U.S. senator Rob Portman faced former Democratic governor Ted Strickland. Green Party nominee Joseph DeMare was also on the ballot along with two other independent candidates and one officially declared write-in candidate.
Initially, the seat was viewed by many to be a potential Democratic pickup, with some early polls showing Strickland ahead, but Portman attained a lead in the summer which grew through the duration of the campaign, and ultimately won re-election to a second term in a landslide, winning 58% of the vote. His vote total of 3,118,567 is the second largest in the state's history, falling 346,084 votes short of George Voinovich's record set in his 2004 re-election.

## Republican primary

Republican senator Rob Portman ran for re-election to a second term in office. He considered running for president in 2016, but ruled out running for two offices at the same time, even though Ohio law does allow it. He ultimately declined to run for president. The National Organization for Marriage and other socially conservative groups, unhappy with Portman's public backing for same-sex marriage, pledged to back a primary challenger. Tea Party groups, who heavily backed Portman in 2010, said that they were unlikely to do the same if he runs for re-election.

### Candidates
#### Declared

* Rob Portman, incumbent senator.
* Don Elijah Eckhart, independent candidate for OH-15 in 2008

#### Disqualified

* Melissa Strzala, Tea Party activist (failed to gather enough valid signatures)

#### Declined

* Josh Mandel, Ohio state treasurer and nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2012
* Steve Stivers, U.S. representative

### Endorsements

Organizations
* Citizens for Community Values
* Greene County Republican Party

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Don Elijah Eckhart | Rob Portman | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | March 4–6, 2016 | 638 | ± 3.9% | 7% | 60% | 33% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Ken Blackwell | Rob Portman | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–7, 2015 | 411 | ± 4.8% | 24% | 57% | 20% |

### Results

Republican primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Rob Portman (incumbent) | 1,336,686 | 82.16% |
| | Republican | Don Elijah Eckhart | 290,268 | 17.84% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,626,954 | 100.00% |

## Democratic primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Kelli Prather, occupational therapist and community organizer
* P.G. Sittenfeld, Cincinnati city councilman
* Ted Strickland, former governor of Ohio and former U.S. representative

#### Withdrawn

* Bob Hagan, former member of the Ohio State Board of Education and former state representative

#### Declined

* Joyce Beatty, U.S. representative
* John Boccieri, former U.S. representative
* Jennifer Brunner, judge on the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals, former Ohio Secretary of State and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010
* Michael B. Coleman, Mayor of Columbus
* Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, former Ohio attorney general and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2000
* Connie Pillich, former state representative and nominee for Ohio state treasurer in 2014
* Tim Ryan, U.S. representative
* Betty Sutton, administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation and former U.S. representative
* Nina Turner, former state senator and nominee for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014
* Nan Whaley, Mayor of Dayton

### Endorsements

U.S. Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials
* Heather Zichal, former Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change (2009–2013)
U.S. Governors
* Dick Celeste, Ohio (former)
U.S. representatives (former)
* David S. Mann (former mayor of Cincinnati and current Cincinnati city councilman)
* Thomas C. Sawyer (current state senator)
Ohio state representatives (current)
* Emilia Sykes
Ohio state representatives (former)
* Tracy Maxwell Heard (former House majority leader)
Mayors
* Dan Horrigan, mayor of Akron
* Mark Mallory, former mayor of Cincinnati
City Council members
* Chris Seelbach, Cincinnati City Councilman
* Yvette Simpson, Cincinnati City Councilwoman
* Wendell Young, Cincinnati City Councilman
County officials
* Russ Pry, Summit County Executive
* Eileen Shapiro, Summit County Council President
Notable individuals
* Jonathan Banks, actor
* Mark Hamill, actor
* Jim Ruvolo, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party
Organizations
* Friends of the Earth
Newspapers
* Akron Beacon Journal
* The Plain Dealer

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Kelli Prather | P.G. Sittenfeld | Ted Strickland | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | March 4–6, 2016 | 508 | ± 4.4% | 6% | 16% | 50% | 28% |
| Public Policy Polling | January 12–14, 2016 | 1,138 | ± ? | 10% | 10% | 61% | 18% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–7, 2015 | 360 | ± 5.2% | — | 13% | 65% | 22% |

### Results

Democratic primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ted Strickland | 742,676 | 65.04% |
| | Democratic | P.G. Sittenfeld | 254,232 | 22.26% |
| | Democratic | Kelli Prather | 144,945 | 12.69% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,141,853 | 100.00% |

## Green primary
### Candidates
#### Declared

* Joe DeMare, factory worker and environmentalist

### Results

Green primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Green | Joe DeMare | 3,123 | 100.00% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,123 | 100.00% |

## General election
### Candidates

* Rob Portman (R), incumbent senator
* Ted Strickland (D), former governor of Ohio and former U.S. representative
* Joe DeMare (G), factory worker and environmentalist
* Scott Rupert (I), truck driver and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012
* Tom Connors (I)
* James Stahl (Write-in)

### Endorsements

Presidents
* George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States
U.S. Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials
* Condoleezza Rice, 66th United States secretary of state
Governors
* John Kasich, Ohio and 2016 presidential candidate
* Mike Pence, Indiana and 2016 Republican vice presidential nominee
U.S. senators (current and former)
* John Cornyn, Texas and Senate Majority Whip
* Ted Cruz, Texas and 2016 presidential candidate
* George Voinovich, Ohio (former)
U.S. representatives (current and former)
* Steve Austria, Ohio (former)
* John Boehner, Ohio (former speaker of the House)
* Steve Chabot, Ohio
* Bob Gibbs, Ohio
* Bill Gradison, Ohio (former)
* Dave Hobson, Ohio (former)
* Bill Johnson, Ohio
* Jim Jordan, Ohio
* David Joyce, Ohio
* Bob Latta, Ohio
* Deborah Pryce, Ohio (former)
* Ralph Regula, Ohio (former)
* Jim Renacci, Ohio
* Paul Ryan, Wisconsin and Speaker of the House of Representatives
* Jean Schmidt, Ohio (former)
* Steve Stivers, Ohio
* Pat Tiberi, Ohio
* Mike Turner, Ohio
* Brad Wenstrup, Ohio
Statewide officials
* Mike DeWine, Ohio attorney general (former senator from Ohio)
* Jon A. Husted, Ohio secretary of state
* Josh Mandel, Ohio state treasurer
* Mary Taylor, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
* Dave Yost, Ohio state auditor
Diplomats
* John R. Bolton, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Individuals
* Laura Bush, 43rd First Lady of the United States
Labor unions
* FOP - Fraternal Order of Police
* IBT - International Brotherhood of Teamsters
* IUOE - International Union of Operating Engineers
* UMW - United Mine Workers
Organizations
* National Federation of Independent Business
* National Rifle Association - Political Victory Fund
* Ohio Right to Life
* United States Chamber of Commerce
Newspapers
* The Courier
* The Cincinnati Enquirer
* Crain's Cleveland Business
* The Columbus Dispatch
* The Plain Dealer
* Akron Beacon Journal
* The Vindicator
* Martins Ferry Times Leader
* The Highland County Press
* The Lima News
* The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register
* Tiffin Advertiser-Tribune
* Chillicothe Gazette
* The Times-Gazette
* The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
* Call & Post
* Minority Communicator Newspaper
* The Repository
* Marietta Times
* Herald-Star
* The Blade
Presidents
* Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the United States
* Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States
Vice Presidents
* Joe Biden, 47th vice president of the United States
U.S. Cabinet members and Cabinet-level officials
* Hillary Clinton, 67th United States secretary of state, 2008 presidential candidate and 2016 presidential nominee
U.S. senators
* Sherrod Brown, Ohio
* Al Franken, Minnesota
* Chris Murphy, Connecticut
* Bernie Sanders, Vermont and 2016 presidential candidate
* Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts
U.S. representatives
* Joyce Beatty, Ohio
* Marcia Fudge, Ohio
* Gabby Giffords, Arizona (former)
* Tim Ryan, Ohio
Ohio state senators
* Edna Brown
* Joe Schiavoni (senate minority leader)
Ohio state representatives (current)
* Kathleen Clyde
* David J. Leland (former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party)
* Martin Sweeney
Ohio state representatives (former)
* John Patrick Carney (nominee for Ohio state auditor in 2014)
* Connie Pillich (nominee for Ohio state treasurer in 2014)
Mayors
* Michael B. Coleman, former mayor of Columbus
* Andrew Ginther, Mayor of Columbus
* Paula Hicks-Hudson, Mayor of Toledo
* Nan Whaley, Mayor of Dayton
City Council members
* P.G. Sittenfeld, Cincinnati city councilman
Notable individuals
* Mary Jo Hudson, Columbus School Board Member and LGBT activist
* James Obergefell, plaintiff in the Obergefell v. Hodges United States Supreme Court case
Labor unions
* AFL–CIO
* OAPFF - Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters
* OEA – Ohio Education Association
* TWU – Transport Workers Union of America
* UAW – United Automobile Workers
* USW - United Steelworkers
Organizations
* Daily Kos
* Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
* League of Conservation Voters
* Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association
* Ohio Democratic Party
* People for the American Way
* Planned Parenthood
Newspapers
* The Athens News

### Debates

| Dates | Location | Portman | Strickland |
| October 14, 2016 | Youngstown, Ohio | Participant | Participant |
| October 17, 2016 | Columbus, Ohio | Participant | Participant |
| October 20, 2016 | Cleveland, Ohio | Participant | Participant |

### Predictions

| Source | Ranking | As of |
| The Cook Political Report | Lean R | November 2, 2016 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Safe R | November 7, 2016 |
| Rothenberg Political Report | Likely R | November 3, 2016 |
| Daily Kos | Safe R | November 8, 2016 |
| Real Clear Politics | Safe R | November 7, 2016 |

### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Rob Portman (R) | Ted Strickland (D) | Other | Undecided |
| SurveyMonkey | November 1–7, 2016 | 2,860 | ± 4.6% | 57% | 39% | — | 4% |
| SurveyMonkey | Oct 31–Nov 6, 2016 | 2,530 | ± 4.6% | 57% | 39% | — | 4% |
| Emerson College | November 4–5, 2016 | 900 | ± 3.2% | 49% | 28% | 11% | 12% |
| The Columbus Dispatch | Oct 27–Nov 5, 2016 | 1,151 | ± 2.9% | 58% | 37% | — | 5% |
| CBS News/YouGov | November 2–4, 2016 | 1,189 | ± 4.1% | 52% | 39% | 3% | 6% |
| SurveyMonkey | Oct 28–Nov 3, 2016 | 2,004 | ± 4.6% | 58% | 39% | — | 3% |
| SurveyMonkey | Oct 27–Nov 2, 2016 | 1,728 | ± 4.6% | 57% | 40% | — | 3% |
| Quinnipiac University | Oct 27–Nov 1, 2016 | 589 | ± 4.0% | 56% | 38% | — | 6% |
| SurveyMonkey | Oct 26–Nov 1, 2016 | 1,586 | ± 4.6% | 57% | 39% | — | 4% |
| SurveyMonkey | October 25–31, 2016 | 1,823 | ± 4.6% | 55% | 40% | — | 5% |
| Emerson College | October 26–27, 2016 | 800 | ± 3.4% | 49% | 35% | 4% | 12% |
| Suffolk University | October 17–19, 2016 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 46% | 31% | 6% | 14% |
| Quinnipiac University | October 10–16, 2016 | 624 | ± 3.9% | 54% | 41% | 1% | 4% |
| Washington Post/SurveyMonkey | October 8–16, 2016 | 1,307 | ± 0.5% | 56% | 39% | — | 5% |
| CNN/ORC | October 10–15, 2016 | 774 LV | ± 3.5% | 56% | 40% | — | 2% |
| CNN/ORC | October 10–15, 2016 | 890 RV | ± 3.5% | 55% | 40% | — | 2% |
| NBC/WSJ/Marist | October 10–12, 2016 | 724 LV | ± 3.6% | 55% | 37% | 3% | 5% |
| NBC/WSJ/Marist | October 10–12, 2016 | 1,007 RV | ± 3.1% | 54% | 36% | 3% | 6% |
| Emerson College | October 10–12, 2016 | 600 | ± 3.9% | 47% | 30% | 6% | 16% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | October 9–11, 2016 | 1,152 | ± 3.0% | 48% | 36% | — | 16% |
| The Times-Picayune/Lucid | October 7–10, 2016 | 1,304 | ± 3.0% | 51% | 37% | — | 12% |
| CBS News/YouGov | October 5–7, 2016 | 997 | ± 3.9% | 49% | 38% | 2% | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | October 5–6, 2016 | 782 | ± 3.5% | 51% | 36% | — | 12% |
| Monmouth University | October 1–4, 2016 | 405 | ± 4.9% | 54% | 39% | 2% | 5% |
| Quinnipiac University | Sept 27–Oct 2, 2016 | 497 | ± 4.4% | 55% | 38% | — | 7% |
| Anzalone Liszt Grove Research | Sept 27–Oct 2, 2016 | 800 | ± 4.0% | 51% | 39% | 5% | 5% |
| Breitbart/Gravis Marketing | September 22–23, 2016 | 850 | ± 3.4% | 44% | 36% | — | 20% |
| TargetSmart/William & Mary | September 15–22, 2016 | 652 LV | ± 3.4% | 47% | 32% | 4% | 17% |
| TargetSmart/William & Mary | September 15–22, 2016 | 821 RV | ± 3.4% | 44% | 34% | 4% | 18% |
| FOX News | September 18–20, 2016 | 737 LV | ± 3.5% | 51% | 37% | 1% | 10% |
| FOX News | September 18–20, 2016 | 806 RV | ± 3.5% | 50% | 37% | 1% | 10% |
| Greenberg Quinlan Rosner - Democracy Corps | September 10–19, 2016 | 400 | ± 4.0% | 51% | 34% | 4% | 11% |
| Suffolk University | September 12–14, 2016 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 39% | 31% | 5% | 23% |
| CNN/ORC | September 7–12, 2016 | 769 LV | ± 3.0% | 58% | 37% | — | 5% |
| CNN/ORC | September 7–12, 2016 | 895 RV | ± 3.0% | 56% | 38% | — | 5% |
| Bloomberg/Selzer | September 9–12, 2016 | 802 | ± 3.5% | 53% | 36% | 3% | 7% |
| Quinnipiac University | Aug 29–Sept 7, 2016 | 775 | ± 3.5% | 51% | 40% | 1% | 8% |
| Public Policy Polling | August 26–27, 2016 | 1,134 | ± 3.0% | 48% | 39% | — | 13% |
| Emerson College | August 25–27, 2016 | 800 | ± 3.4% | 40% | 25% | 10% | 25% |
| Monmouth University | August 18–21, 2016 | 402 | ± 4.9% | 48% | 40% | 4% | 8% |
| CBS News/YouGov | August 17–19, 2016 | 997 | ± 3.9% | 46% | 39% | 4% | 11% |
| Quinnipiac University | July 30–August 7, 2016 | 812 | ± 3.4% | 49% | 40% | 1% | 10% |
| NBC/WSJ/Marist | August 3–7, 2016 | 889 | ± 3.3% | 48% | 43% | 1% | 8% |
| Public Policy Polling | July 22–24, 2016 | 1,334 | ± 2.7% | 43% | 38% | — | 19% |
| Suffolk University | July 18–20, 2016 | 500 | ± 4.4% | 37% | 33% | 6% | 23% |
| CBS News/YouGov | July 13–15, 2016 | 1,104 | ± 3.5% | 41% | 40% | 4% | 14% |
| Quinnipiac University | June 30–July 11, 2016 | 955 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 40% | 1% | 9% |
| NBC/WSJ/Marist | July 5–10, 2016 | 848 | ± 3.4% | 44% | 44% | 2% | 10% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 22–23, 2016 | 708 | ± 3.7% | 40% | 39% | — | 21% |
| Greenberg Quinlan Rosner - Democracy Corps | June 11–20, 2016 | 300 | ± 5.7% | 40% | 43% | — | 17% |
| Quinnipiac University | June 8–19, 2016 | 971 | ± 3.1% | 42% | 42% | 1% | 11% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 8–9, 2016 | 781 | ± 3.4% | 46% | 42% | — | 12% |
| Quinnipiac University | April 27–May 8, 2016 | 1,042 | ± 3.0% | 42% | 43% | 1% | 14% |
| Public Policy Polling | April 26–27, 2016 | 799 | ± 3.2% | 38% | 38% | 1% | 23% |
| Hart Research Associates | April 5–7, 2016 | 500 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 45% | — | 8% |
| Public Policy Polling | March 4–6, 2016 | 1,248 | ± 2.8% | 40% | 41% | — | 19% |
| Quinnipiac University | February 16–20, 2016 | 1,539 | ± 2.5% | 42% | 44% | — | 14% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | February 11–20, 2016 | 825 | ± 3.4% | 44% | 40% | — | 16% |
| Democracy Corps | October 24–28, 2015 | 400 | ± 4.9% | 47% | 47% | — | 6% |
| Quinnipiac University | Sept 25–Oct 5, 2015 | 1,180 | ± 2.9% | 43% | 46% | 1% | 8% |
| Harstad Strategic Research | September 10–16, 2015 | 813 | ± 3.4% | 43% | 46% | — | 11% |
| Quinnipiac University | August 7–18, 2015 | 1,096 | ± 3.0% | 41% | 44% | 1% | 10% |
| Quinnipiac University | June 4–15, 2015 | 1,191 | ± 2.8% | 40% | 46% | 1% | 13% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–7, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 43% | 41% | — | 15% |
| Quinnipiac University | March 17–28, 2015 | 1,077 | ± 3.0% | 39% | 48% | — | 13% |
| Public Policy Polling (D-Ohio Democratic Party) | March 2–3, 2015 | 946 | ± 3.2% | 45% | 45% | — | 10% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Rob Portman (R) | P.G. Sittenfeld (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | March 4–6, 2016 | 1,248 | ± 2.8% | 42% | 30% | — | 27% |
| Quinnipiac University | February 16–20, 2016 | 1,539 | ± 2.5% | 48% | 29% | 1% | 22% |
| Baldwin Wallace University | February 11–20, 2016 | 825 | ± 3.4% | 51% | 26% | — | 23% |
| Quinnipiac University | September 25 – October 5, 2015 | 1,180 | ± 2.9% | 49% | 27% | 1% | 18% |
| Quinnipiac University | August 7–18, 2015 | 1,096 | ± 3.0% | 46% | 25% | 1% | 22% |
| Quinnipiac University | June 4–15, 2015 | 1,191 | ± 2.8% | 49% | 24% | 1% | 25% |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–7, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 46% | 28% | — | 26% |
| Quinnipiac University | March 17–28, 2015 | 1,077 | ± 3.0% | 47% | 24% | 1% | 28% |
| Public Policy Polling↑ | March 2–3, 2015 | 946 | ± 3.2% | 50% | 31% | — | 15% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Ken Blackwell (R) | Ted Strickland (D) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling | June 4–7, 2015 | 859 | ± 3.3% | 36% | 46% | — | 18% |

### Results

United States Senate election in Ohio, 2016 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Rob Portman (incumbent) | 3,118,567 | 58.03% | +1.18% |
| | Democratic | Ted Strickland | 1,996,908 | 37.16% | −2.24% |
| | Independent | Tom Connors | 93,041 | 1.73% | N/A |
| | Green | Joseph R. DeMare | 88,246 | 1.64% | N/A |
| | Independent | Scott Rupert | 77,291 | 1.44% | N/A |
| | Independent | James Stahl (write-in) | 111 | 0.00% | N/A |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,374,164 | 100.0% | N/A |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

#### Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

* Franklin (Largest city: Columbus)

#### Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

* Mahoning (Largest city: Youngstown)
* Trumbull (Largest city: Warren)
* Monroe (Largest city: Woodsfield)

#### By congressional district

Portman won 13 of 16 congressional districts, including one held by a Democrat.
| District | Portman | Strickland | Representative |
| 1st | 60% | 36% | Steve Chabot |
| 2nd | 65% | 31% | Brad Wenstrup |
| 3rd | 36% | 59% | Joyce Beatty |
| 4th | 69% | 26% | Jim Jordan |
| 5th | 66% | 30% | Bob Latta |
| 6th | 66% | 29% | Bill Johnson |
| 7th | 66% | 29% | Bob Gibbs |
| 8th | 72% | 24% | Warren Davidson |
| 9th | 43% | 51% | Marcy Kaptur |
| 10th | 60% | 36% | Mike Turner |
| 11th | 22% | 73% | Marcia Fudge |
| 12th | 62% | 34% | Pat Tiberi |
| 13th | 48% | 46% | Tim Ryan |
| 14th | 61% | 34% | David Joyce |
| 15th | 61% | 34% | Steve Stivers |
| 16th | 62% | 32% | Jim Renacci |

## Analysis

Despite being seen early on as a tight race, Portman began to gain the upper hand as Strickland's campaign was said to be the worst he had ever run. Portman received the endorsements of many labor unions including the Ohio Teamsters and the United Mine Workers Union, both of which usually endorsed Democrats. In the end Portman ended up winning in a landslide, the only region where Strickland outperformed Hillary Clinton was in Appalachia, but his performance there was still disappointing for an area he used to represent in Congress.