A new survey of voters in Ohio by Quinnpiac University shows Democratic Governor Ted Strickland rebounding to a 5-point lead over Republican challenger John Kasich. The two were tied at 40 percent each in the last Quinnpiac poll taken in mid-November.

Strickland (D) 44 (+4 vs. last poll Nov 11)
Kasich (R) 39 (-1)
Undecided 15 (-3)

Meanwhile, President Obama continues his slide in Ohio, with his job rating falling to a new low of 44/52 driven by a continued erosion among Independents. In November, President Obama's job approval/disapproval with Independents was a slightly net negative 45 approve/49 disapprove. In the current poll only 38% of Independents approve of the job he's doing while 57% disapprove.

Dissatisfaction with Obama is driven by the usual suspects: only 39% of Ohio voters approve of the way he's handling the economy and even less, just 34%, approve of the way he's handling health care.

Diving deeper into health care, only 56% "mostly disapprove" of "the proposed changes to the health care system under consideration in Congress" - including 61% of Independents. Forty-three percent say Democrats' proposals "go too far" while 29% say the proposed changes "do not go far enough." Among Independents those numbers are 47% and 29% respectively. Lastly, even though a majority of Ohio voters disapproves of the current plans and a plurality says they go too far, 53% say President Obama should not give up on health care altogether.

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