Former Republican Rep. John Kasich has moved into a tie with Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland in Ohio, with each at 40 percent, according to a Quinnipiac University poll conducted Nov. 5-9. Eighteen percent are undecided and the margin of error is 2.9 points.

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Strickland had held a 46 percent to 36 percent lead over Kasich in September, and led the Republican by 43 percent to 38 percent in July.

Like many incumbent governors of both parties, Strickland has seen his approval ratings go down as state economies and budgets have suffered from the recession.

When Quinnipiac first tested this match-up in February, Strickland led, 56 percent to 26 percent.

Quinnipiac's Peter Brown said, "Obviously a lot has changed: the Governor's own ratings have gone down more than the challenger's have come up. Moreover, when voters are asked who could do a better job handling the state budget and rebuilding the state economy, they say Kasich. We still have a year to go, but Kasich is in much better shape than one could have imaged earlier this year."

Strickland is regarded favorably by 38 percent of voters and unfavorably by 37 percent, with 23 percent expressing no opinion, which represents his worst rating ever. In September, he was seen favorably by 43 percent and unfavorably by 34 percent with 20 percent expressing no opinion.

It's hard to read any significance into Kasich's favorability numbers because 69 percent don't know enough about him to express an opinion.

Strickland faces an electorate in which 64 percent are very or somewhat dissatisfied with the way things are going in Ohio, compared to 34 percent who are very or somewhat satisfied (only 2 percent are in the "very" satisfied column). They disapprove of the way he is handling the economy by 52 percent to 33 percent, with 15 percent undecided. Forty-three percent do not think he has kept his campaign promises, while 32 percent say he has and 25 percent don't know.

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