COLUMBUS, Ohio- Republican candidates in Ohio's gubernatorial and Senate races are widening their leads, according to a new poll released Friday.

John Kasich, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Ted Strickland, now leads by a margin of 51 to 43 percent, according to the poll sponsored by the University of Cincinnati.

Republican Rob Portman has widened his double-digit lead over Lee Fisher in the race for the open Senate seat from the state of Ohio.

The margin of error for the poll is plus or minus four percentage points.