Gov. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), who boasted strong poll numbers for much of his term, appears now to be suffering politically as the Buckeye State's economy continues to lag. A new poll from Public Policy Polling not only shows his approval rating in the low-40s, but has Strickland only narrowly ahead in a hypothetical matchup against former Rep. John Kasich (R).

General Election Matchup
Strickland 44 (-1 from January)
Kasich 42 (+3)
Undecided 14

Strickland Approval: 43/42

Kasich, who announced his candidacy at the beginning of this month, has a 31 percent favorable rating, compared to 30 percent unfavorable. But 39 percent were unsure of their opinion of the former Columbus-area Congressman, despite his brief exploration of a presidential bid and Fox News Channel television show.

The survey of 619 registered voters was conducted June 17-19, and has a margin of error of +/- 3.9 percent.