OH-02: Poll Shows Wulsin (D) Up By 5.6 Points Over Schmidt (R)

The campaign of Dr. Victoria Wulsin (D-Indian Hill) has issued a statement indicating that a new poll by American Political Polling reveals a substantial lead for the repeat Democratic challenger over incumbent Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland):

Wulsin is leading Schmidt by 5.6 percentage points, well above the poll’s margin of error. ... [T]he firm also notes that Schmidt’s 23% approval rating is “low for a sitting Representative.” Schmidt’s approval rating is also 17 points lower than that of George Bush.

Jean Schmidt’s out-of-touch voting record has certainly taken a toll on her approval rating,” said Wulsin Campaign Communications Director Kevin Franck. “Schmidt helped create the George Bush economy we are all living with and voters in the second district are ready for change.

UPDATE: I now have more data on the poll, which was done independently (not commissioned by either campaign). The head-to-head results, with a margin of error of 3.5 points, are:

29.8% Wulsin (D)
24.2% Schmidt (R)
13.4% David Krikorian (I)
32.5% Undecided

More from the polling numbers after the break.

Here are some other highlights:

* Schmidt’s job approval rating is 23%.

* 50.5% say Bush is doing poor job of leading the country.

* Obama leads McCain by 34.4% to 32.9% -- that is an absolute shocker in a district that Bush carried with 64% of the vote in 2004.

* 52.3% say that Ohio is heading in the wrong direction.

* 57.2% say the economy is the #1 issue.

* Independent candidate Krikorian polled at 26.5% in Pike County and 16.7% in Brown County.

This poll shows a wide open race in a hugely disaffected and uncertain political climate. The high proportion of undecideds, the dismal approval rating for the incumbent, and the big showing by a little-known independent all point to a general shaking loose from party loyalty in this traditionally Republican district.