A new survey of voters suggests South Carolina's appointed senator faces doubts about her qualifications, while candidates in Georgia and Ohio drew mixed reviews. The findings come from The AP Voter Poll, a large survey of the electorate conducted by The Associated Press and reported by PBS News.
In South Carolina, Republican Darline Graham was appointed to the Senate after the July death of her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and then decided to run for the seat. About 6 in 10 Senate voters in the state said she does not have the right experience to serve as a senator. Most Republican voters, however, said she does. Voters were split on whether her Democratic opponent, pediatrician Annie Andrews, holds views that are "too extreme."
In Georgia, the poll found Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff was seen as less extreme than his challenger. About 4 in 10 Senate voters there said Ossoff's views are "too extreme," compared with about half who said that about Republican Rep. Mike Collins. During the race, Ossoff accused Collins of employing white nationalist staffers, while President Donald Trump and other Republicans argued Ossoff's views on immigration and the economy are outside the mainstream. The AP later called the race for Ossoff.
In Ohio, Trump has often praised Republican Sen. Jon Husted, a former college football player, for his record and his appearance. But about 6 in 10 voters in the Senate race said Husted is "too supportive" of the president. Ohio voters were divided over whether his Democratic opponent, former Sen. Sherrod Brown, is "too extreme."
Poll findings like these help explain how voters see the candidates. They are not vote counts, and they do not decide who wins.
Raw 100.5 will report official results in South Carolina and Ohio as races are called.
Sources: PBS News, The Associated Press