The latest Rasmussen Reports survey of the Ohio Senate race shows Republican Senator Mike DeWine leading Democratic Congressman Sherrod Brown 43% to 41%. Five percent (5%) say they would vote for someone else and 11% are not sure.

Given the poll's 4.5 percentage point margin of error, that's practically identical to what we saw in March, when DeWine led 45% to 42%.

DeWine has been very steady in all five polls we've conducted on this race, earning between 43% and 46% of the vote each time. Brown, with one exception, has stayed between 40% and 42%.

DeWine is viewed favorably by 55% of likely voters, unfavorably by 35%. Brown is viewed favorably by 43%, unfavorably by 32%, with 25% Not Sure yet what to think of him.

Just 14% have a "very favorable" opinion of DeWine. That number is just 15% for Brown. Each man is viewed "very" unfavorably by 12% of Likely Voters.

Though Brown is regarded as "ultra-liberal" by foes, Senator DeWine, a two-term incumbent, has not escaped sharp dissatisfaction from Republicans and conservatives. He is perceived by those on the right as wobbly on gun rights, on environmental issues, on fiscal conservatism—and on the issue of the day, immigration. The senator supports an immigration bill that would create a guest worker program for illegal aliens.

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Ohioans are more closely divided than voters in other states over whether illegal aliens should be forced to leave. Forty percent (40%) say Yes, 43% say No, and 17% are Not Sure. Still, a majority of Ohio's likely voters, 56%, say that our policy goal should generally be to welcome immigrants who are not criminals, security threats, or exploiters of welfare programs. DeWine wins a plurality of voters who agree with that sentiment.

By a smaller margin DeWine also wins a plurality of the larger number of likely voters (76%) who say controlling the borders and enforcing existing immigration law should be accomplished before any further reform.

Brown, who has opposed moves to liberalize trade, has said he wants to link immigration reform to trade reform. But his views seem similar to DeWine's with respect to whether illegal aliens should have some means of gaining citizenship.

The rolling average of the last three Rasmussen Reports polls is unchanged this month with DeWine leading Brown 45% to 40%. It's also worth noting that while the race has remained close in four of our five Ohio election polls this season, Brown has never held the lead over DeWine in any of them.

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