Despite Discredited Allegations, Trump Continues to Hold a Solid Lead Over Kamala Harris in Ohio, Poll Reveals

A new poll in Ohio reveals that while most voters in the state reject Donald Trump’s false claims about Haitian immigrants, a significant portion of Republican voters still support him, giving him a consistent lead in the state ahead of the 2024 election.

In the poll, 55% of Ohio voters — including almost all Democratic respondents — correctly identified Trump’s viral claim that Haitian immigrants in Springfield were “eating people’s pets” as false. However, 42% of Republicans still believe this discredited accusation, while an additional 26% were unsure, suggesting a high degree of uncertainty or agreement with the false narrative within the GOP base.

Despite the widespread rejection of the claim, Trump continues to lead Vice President Kamala Harris by approximately six percentage points in Ohio, a state he won by 8 points in both the 2016 and 2020 elections. His continued popularity in the state indicates that his base remains solid, even in the face of controversial rhetoric.

The pet-eating accusation, which was amplified by Trump and his running mate JD Vance, has been firmly rejected by local authorities and city officials in Springfield, where the claim originated. Springfield’s mayor and law enforcement have denounced the false narrative, and Republican Governor Mike DeWine, a Trump supporter, defended the city’s history of welcoming immigrants and providing opportunities for refugees. He expressed dismay that Trump and Vance continue to spread unfounded claims that harm the local community.

“Unfortunately, these misleading attacks hurt both Springfield and the people who have called it home for generations,” Governor DeWine wrote in an op-ed for The New York Times. He noted that Haitian immigrants, living legally in the area, had revitalised the local economy and helped reverse Springfield’s population decline.

As the race for Ohio’s 2024 Senate seat remains close — with Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown holding a slight lead over Republican Bernie Moreno within the poll’s margin of error — it’s clear that Trump’s hold on the state’s electorate is strong, despite controversial rhetoric and disinformation. The poll also shows that 90% of Ohio Republicans plan to vote for Trump in 2024, with 95% of Democrats favouring Harris.