Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Will Lack Of Voter Enthusiasm Be A Factor In Ohio This Year?

Dan Konik
Political expert Mike Dawson

Ohio is always a battleground state and this year is shaping up to be no different. Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton say they’ll be coming to campaign in Ohio often this election season. But a lack of voter enthusiasm could be a factor this year.

Political statistics expert Mike Dawson says the major party candidates - and the public's attitude about them - make this election year hard to predict.

“It’s going to be different. It’s certainly the most interesting election I’ve seen in my lifetime. I think the reason you don’t see enthusiasm for either candidate is because their negatives are so high. They are perceived so badly by so many people. And most people don’t want to vote when that’s the case.”

There’s another factor to consider. Gov.  John Kasich, not Trump, won Ohio’s presidential primary. He has not endorsed Trump or Clinton at this point. And while many of the state’s leaders who have backed Kasich have said they will support the party’s nominee, they’ve been very careful about enthusiastically embracing Trump.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.