Senator Sherrod Brown

A new poll indicates President Barack Obama's lead in Ohio has dwindled, but he is getting strong support from women.

The Quinnipiac University/CBS News poll released today put the Democratic president ahead of Republican Mitt Romney 50 percent to 45.  Obama led 55-40 among women and Romney 51-44 among men.  Romney led independent voters 49-42 percent.

Romney had more support among white voters, while blacks were heavily for Obama in the poll.  A Quinnipiac survey Sept 26 had shown Obama with a 10-point lead.

Ohio’s candidates for U.S. Senate squared off yesterday in the first of three scheduled debates.

The debate was similar to the largely negative ad campaign being over the airwaves as incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and state Treasurer Josh Mandel hurled criticism at each other. 

Brown pointed to the endorsements he’s received from newspapers like the Plain Dealer, Akron Beacon Journal and Youngstown Vindicator, saying they don’t trust the way Mandel runs the treasury. 

Ohio candidates for U.S. Senate, incumbent Senator Sherrod Brown and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, participated in the first of three debates on Monday at the the City Club of Cleveland.  Karen Kasler of the Statehouse News Bureau moderated.

This election season the nation's eyes are on Ohio - and not just the presidential battlefront. They're also watching the hot contest between Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican Josh Mandel. It's one of a handful races that could determine whether the Democrats hold onto their slim majority in the U.S. Senate. Like most campaigns the candidates are either short on details or sing only one song about what they'd do to fix things. That's particularly true on the issue of taxes. Bill Rice of Ohio Public Radio Station WCPN reports.

Emily McCord speaks to Karen Kasler from the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau to discuss the state of the race between Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown and Republican Challenger Josh Mandel. Kasler reports that this nationally watched contest has generated national attention and the campaigns have become increasingly negative.