By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Hamilton County Commissioner John Dowlin is trailing challenger Pat DeWine by 30 points among likely Republican voters, according to a poll taken on DeWine's behalf this week.

"These figures indicate a difficult road ahead for the Dowlin campaign as he tries to become better known after more than a decade in office," pollster Neil Newhouse said in a memo summarizing the results.

Of the 300 Republicans polled, 56 percent said they would definitely or probably vote for DeWine and 26 percent said they would definitely or probably vote for Dowlin, according to Newhouse, of the national polling firm Public Opinion Strategies. The poll has an error margin of 5.66 percentage points.

Dowlin discounted the poll results Friday, saying Newhouse has been wrong before.

"Two weeks ago, Howard Dean was ahead 30 points in the New Hampshire primary polls. Today, he is down by 15 points," said Dowlin.

DeWine, a Cincinnati councilman and son of U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, has defied tradition by mounting a primary campaign against an incumbent fellow Republican. He made the decision to run, he said, after a November poll by Newhouse indicated Dowlin could lose to a strong Democrat.

The new poll found that voters have more favorable impressions of DeWine than of Dowlin. DeWine's name drew 70 percent favorable responses and 12 percent unfavorable. Dowlin's name drew 37 percent favorable responses and 17 percent unfavorable.

"I think this shows our message is connecting with voters," DeWine said Friday. "I think this also demonstrates that voters understand where John has been on tax-and-spending issues, and they disagree with it."

DeWine has blamed Dowlin for tax increases in Hamilton County over the past decade.

Dowlin, meanwhile, is campaigning on his experience and expertise in local government. After a slow start, supporters are organizing and his county aide, Rob Fredericks, has taken a leave of absence to work on the race.

E-mail candrews@enquirer.com