Poll shows Ohio special election deadlocked days before Trump visit
Ohio's 12th Congressional District special election is a toss up in a new poll that dropped hours after President Trump announced a trip to help the GOP hold onto the district.
Monmouth University's new poll finds the race within the margin of error no matter how the pollsters modeled the electorate.
GOP state Sen. Troy Balderson holds a slim lead with standard midterm turnout and low turnout models, while Democrat Danny O'Connor is up one point if projecting for a surge in Democratic votes.
That represents a tightening from Monmouth's polling last month, which showed Balderson with the edge, thanks in part to a boost in O'Connor support from independent voters.
The poll exemplifies the concerns for Republicans, who fear that an embarrassing loss in a district long-held by the GOP could deal a blow to the party going into the November midterms.
Trump's Saturday rally is part of the GOP's full-court press in the Columbus-area district.
Vice President Mike Pence campaigned in the district for Balderson this week, and Ohio Gov. John Kasich endorsed the GOP candidate in a show of party unity.
National Republicans have also boosted Balderson by spending more than $3.3 million on television ads.
In the final days, Republicans have leaned on a familiar playbook, tying Democrat Danny O'Connor to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. While O'Connor has said from the start of his campaign he wants new leadership in both parties, he admitted during an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews last week that he'll support whoever the Democratic Party coalesces around for speaker.
Republicans are accusing O'Connor of going back on his word down the stretch and tying him to Pelosi while Balderson's own closing ad is a positive spot meant to push back against Democratic attacks.
But Democrats are brushing aside the attacks, with O'Connor standing by his call for new leadership in his own closing ad and Democrats hammering Balderson with messaging on health care and retirement.