Posted January 7Jan 7 Feel free to use this topic to discuss all of the statewide races in 2026. I don't think we need a separate topic for auditor, treasurer, etc. ---------- Dr. Amy Acton, who helped lead Ohio’s early pandemic response, joins 2026 governor’s race “It’s not OK with me that Ohioans don’t live as long as people do in other states,” she said. “It’s not OK with me to watch what used to be a top education system, state-of-the-art education system, begin to fall year after year after year. It’s not OK with me that our GDP is like 45th and our biggest export is Ohioans, is young people.” Acton’s entry [as a Democrat] into the race comes as Republicans Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost already are positioning to run for the seat, which the 78-year-old DeWine must vacate next year due to term limits. But the landscape of the race is far from settled. DeWine has yet to appoint a replacement to U.S. Sen. JD Vance, who will be inaugurated as Donald Trump’s vice president Jan. 20. Though DeWine has long endorsed Husted as his favored successor, the lieutenant governor is now considered a leading contender as his pick for the Senate. That’s after Husted and DeWine met with Trump and Vance last month at Mar-a-Lago, a trip first reported by WEWS-TV.
January 8Jan 8 Acton's messaging seems on point, but I just don't know how she'll be able to escape the "shut down" ads that will be flooding the airwaves from Jan 26-Nov 26. If it's super low turnout, maybe she could pull off a crazy upset. At this point in time, she's probably only the preferred candidate of wealthy and highly-educated people in Ohio. Whitmer and Evers won Michigan and Wisconsin by basically only running on "fix the roads" after previous governors were so batsh** insane that their states were literally falling apart. Acton isn't necessarily running on "fix the roads" and our outgoing governor is 'meh' instead of insane. Hope she proves me wrong, she certainly has a lot of image-building to do to expand beyond the white lab-coat Edited January 8Jan 8 by 10albersa
January 8Jan 8 Author I don't see any way a Democrat wins in the state of Ohio for a while. Maybe Trump will poison the Republican Party's image so badly by 2026 that a Democrat can win, but I highly doubt it.
January 8Jan 8 Author Ohio has its first 2026 Democratic candidate for Secretary of State Quote “I’m running for Ohio secretary of state because I am tired of watching people being disenfranchised by that office and by the legislature,’’ Hambley said. “Ohio voters don’t like to be cheated.” Hambley, who lives in the Warren County portion of Loveland, is a hematology oncologist for UC Health, who specializes in leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma. His wife Jana is a trauma surgeon, and they have two young children, ages 5 and 7. What drove him to declare his candidacy for Ohio Secretary of State — more than a year before the Feb. 2026 filing deadline — is what the present secretary of state, Republican Frank LaRose, has done to confuse voters through deceptive ballot language. Hambley says on his campaign website that LaRose’s office has twice written confusing ballot language through the Ohio Ballot Board, which LaRose controls.
January 8Jan 8 16 hours ago, ryanlammi said: Feel free to use this topic to discuss all of the statewide races in 2026. I don't think we need a separate topic for auditor, treasurer, etc. ---------- Dr. Amy Acton, who helped lead Ohio’s early pandemic response, joins 2026 governor’s race “It’s not OK with me that Ohioans don’t live as long as people do in other states,” she said. “It’s not OK with me to watch what used to be a top education system, state-of-the-art education system, begin to fall year after year after year. It’s not OK with me that our GDP is like 45th and our biggest export is Ohioans, is young people.” Acton’s entry [as a Democrat] into the race comes as Republicans Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost already are positioning to run for the seat, which the 78-year-old DeWine must vacate next year due to term limits. But the landscape of the race is far from settled. DeWine has yet to appoint a replacement to U.S. Sen. JD Vance, who will be inaugurated as Donald Trump’s vice president Jan. 20. Though DeWine has long endorsed Husted as his favored successor, the lieutenant governor is now considered a leading contender as his pick for the Senate. That’s after Husted and DeWine met with Trump and Vance last month at Mar-a-Lago, a trip first reported by WEWS-TV. I believe either Dewine or Portman carries over two years of US Senate seniority if they win. Dewine could step down and appoint Husted governor. Then Husted can appoint Dewine to the Senate, and fight it out in court over whether or not he can run in 2030.
January 8Jan 8 56 minutes ago, GCrites said: The Harley Guys will go thermonuclear if she runs. A Democrat cannot win statewide without some of those guys. I think you have to look at Tim Ryan as a leading contender for Governor in 2026. Since he almost beat Vance in '22 he has statewide name recognition. He has a reputation as a moderate. I'd consider voting for him myself against the wrong Republican.
January 8Jan 8 30 minutes ago, ryanlammi said: You're doing this whole charade again, huh? You haven't noticed that Democratic candidates perceived as moderate (Ryan, Brown) do far better than those perceived as "progressive"?
January 8Jan 8 Tim Ryan ran a bad campaign. He was beat by Vance who didn't start campaigning state wide until the Senate Republican campaign came in to do it for him in August... Edited January 8Jan 8 by Luke_S
January 8Jan 8 9 minutes ago, Luke_S said: Tim Ryan ran a bad campaign. He was beat by Vance who didn't start campaigning state wide until the Senate Republican campaign came in to do it for him in August... Yet he almost won. Unlike Whaley.
January 8Jan 8 Author Whaley didn't run a progressive campaign. And she was facing a very popular incumbent. Tim Ryan ran against a relatively unpopular unknown. But you don't care about the facts. You just gaslight everyone.
January 8Jan 8 1 minute ago, E Rocc said: Yet he almost won. Unlike Whaley. I never said Whaley was a good candidate. He almost won against a candidate that wasn't even in the state during much of the campaign and ran behind all other Republicans statewide. Ryan also had a winning playbook from Brown, he had the background to be able to convincingly run it too. He instead leaned into xenophobia and nativism, thinking he could outflank a Republican on these issues.
January 8Jan 8 3 hours ago, ryanlammi said: I don't see any way a Democrat wins in the state of Ohio for a while. Maybe Trump will poison the Republican Party's image so badly by 2026 that a Democrat can win, but I highly doubt it. The Ohio Democratic Party's inability to hang massive corruption around Republicans is a huge indictment of the party leadership. Some of it has to do with how hollowed out the local media is. But it shouldn't be that hard for Democrats hammer Republicans on the First Energy bribery scheme, the corruption within the school choice system (ECOT and Bishop Sycamore), the unconstitutional funding of our schools for more than a decade, the unconstitutional redistricting, and on and on. There's plenty of other things Ohio Dems could run on but being anti-corruption should be pretty potent.
January 8Jan 8 44 minutes ago, Luke_S said: The Ohio Democratic Party's inability to hang massive corruption around Republicans is a huge indictment of the party leadership. Some of it has to do with how hollowed out the local media is. But it shouldn't be that hard for Democrats hammer Republicans on the First Energy bribery scheme, the corruption within the school choice system (ECOT and Bishop Sycamore), the unconstitutional funding of our schools for more than a decade, the unconstitutional redistricting, and on and on. There's plenty of other things Ohio Dems could run on but being anti-corruption should be pretty potent. I unfortunately don't think that'll work these days as this state voted for a corrupt convicted felon and sexual assaulter. Thrice. I think the jobs/economy thing is the way to go for the Dems to win. Morality went out the window in 2016. "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 8Jan 8 31 minutes ago, ColDayMan said: I unfortunately don't think that'll work these days as this state voted for a corrupt convicted felon and sexual assaulter. Thrice. I think the jobs/economy thing is the way to go for the Dems to win. Morality went out the window in 2016. Fair point, though I do there there is a difference in the corruption of the Ohio Republican Party and Trump. You've put me in the uncomfortable position of excusing Trump's behavior, but here it goes... My impression is for those that voted for Trump they believe all politicians are corrupt, Trump is just honest about his dishonesty and at worst his corruption doesn't (or at least they don't see how it has) negatively affect them, or the affirmative case is that Trump is corrupt in service of his supporters. Maybe the school choice/school funding issue doesn't fit neatly into the other camp, but the first energy bribery scandal seems to. Point to giving money to employ out of state power plant workers in Indiana instead of helping Ohioans. You can make it a pocket book issue, higher rates and worse service. Lakewood just had 4 power outages in something like a month and First Energy didn't respond or seem to move to fix the problem until the city contacted them. Tristan Rader and Nickie Antonio should be making this an issue and blaming poor service on Republican's bad deal.
January 10Jan 10 Dr. Amy Acton Announces 2026 Gubernatorial Campaign Former Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton announced on Tuesday that she is running for Ohio governor in 2026. “Today, I filed papers to run for Governor because I refuse to look away from Ohioans who are struggling while self-serving politicians and special interests take our state in the wrong direction,” she said in a statement. “It’s time to give power back to the people and our communities. It’s time for a change.” Acton is running as a Democrat while Ohio has become increasingly more Republican in recent years. Ohio Supreme Court Judge Jennifer Brunner is the only Democrat in statewide office in Ohio. Acton first hinted at a run for governor during the summer at the Democratic National Convention. “I’m a doctor, not a politician,” Acton said in her statement. “I solve problems by bringing people together regardless of party to find solutions. So unlike most of our leaders I know the answer to moving our state forward isn’t giving politicians more power, it’s giving people more freedom.” More below: https://columbusunderground.com/dr-amy-acton-announces-2026-gubernatorial-campaign-ocj1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 17Jan 17 Did DeWine do Democrats a favor by nominating Jon Husted to fill Vance's Senate seat? The governor's race is obviously still Republican's to lose so Democrats will have to put up a compelling candidate. I don't think Acton is it, I don't think Ryan is it. As much as I like Brown and would love for him to be governor I'm not even sure he is it either being branded a career politician in his last election. I assume on the Republican side you're going to have some mix of Frank LaRose, Josh Mandel, maybe Vivek Ramaswamy, Matt Dolan and some others. Husted would be more moderate than any of that group, other than Dolan, and have more relevant experience. Also, two years into Trump's governance may create a positive environment for Democrats. On top of that, I'm holding out hope that Ohio wont vote for a MAGA candidate not named Trump when Trump is not on the ballot.
January 17Jan 17 30 minutes ago, Luke_S said: Did DeWine do Democrats a favor by nominating Jon Husted to fill Vance's Senate seat? The governor's race is obviously still Republican's to lose so Democrats will have to put up a compelling candidate. I don't think Acton is it, I don't think Ryan is it. As much as I like Brown and would love for him to be governor I'm not even sure he is it either being branded a career politician in his last election. I assume on the Republican side you're going to have some mix of Frank LaRose, Josh Mandel, maybe Vivek Ramaswamy, Matt Dolan and some others. Husted would be more moderate than any of that group, other than Dolan, and have more relevant experience. Also, two years into Trump's governance may create a positive environment for Democrats. On top of that, I'm holding out hope that Ohio wont vote for a MAGA candidate not named Trump when Trump is not on the ballot. I don't see Acton getting the nomination, and a lot of times candidates who know they will be weaker rush to throw their hat in the ring early so that they can shoot for at least one news cycle in which they aren't competing with others on their same team for name recognition and media attention. And I have a very strong opinion of Dr. Acton and her history working in a Republican administration is a positive--but it would be most positive if the Republicans nominate a hapless narcissist outsider. If the Republicans nominate someone like Dolan or LaRose, I don't see how Acton can find a lane. She wouldn't want to distance herself too far from the DeWine administration, both because it was/is popular and because she served prominently in it. But she'd have trouble running on that against someone who could also position themselves as close to the administration and had an R by their name. If she got the extraordinary fortune to run against Vivek Ramaswamy, of course, then that changes, but I also don't see him getting the nod in Ohio--honestly even with national pressure behind him, and I don't think there will be as much of that as he probably wishes there would be.
January 18Jan 18 Ramaswamy will use DOGE as springboard to run for Ohio governor Gregory Korte, Bloomberg Jan 17th, 2025 Vivek Ramaswamy, the former presidential candidate and biotech entrepreneur partnering with Elon Musk on a project to slash the size of the federal government, plans to announce a 2026 campaign for Ohio governor, according to a campaign operative familiar with his thinking. Ramaswamy’s future came into clearer focus on Friday, Jan. 17, after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine bypassed him and chose his lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, to replace Vice President-elect JD Vance in the U.S. Senate. But the Ohio campaign operative said Ramaswamy’s plan was always to help with a sweeping federal cost-cutting initiative under President Donald Trump to build a resume for governor. https://www.crainscleveland.com/politics-policy/ramaswamy-use-doge-springboard-run-ohio-governor
January 20Jan 20 Maybe Crain's got out over their skis on this reporting or maybe Vivek fell out of grace over the weekend. Either way leaving DOGE (or being forced out) before even getting started does not give him much of a spring board... And if Vivek was forced out might call into question his support within MAGA. Vivek Ramaswamy to leave DOGE and launch a run for Ohio governor
January 20Jan 20 Author Honestly, not being in DOGE is probably in his best interest if he wants to be elected. He can point fingers at Musk and say, "if I had been in charge it would've gone better". But he won't get any of the negative press about gutting services for people who need it.
January 20Jan 20 I posted this on another thread but here it is again: Vivek isn't winning the GOP primary. Unlike Bobby Jindal and Nikki Hayley, Vivek is still a practicing Hindu and didn't anglicize his name. Never underestimate the bigotted underbelly of the GOP. Brown will be 78 or so when the race occurs so he's pretty old. Amy Acton is great but I can't see her winning and Tim Ryan has name recognition but couldn't beat JD Vance because he (Ryan) didn't try to motivate the base to get out and vote and instead insulted Democrats and acted like a conservative.
January 20Jan 20 59 minutes ago, JaceTheAce41 said: Tim Ryan has name recognition but couldn't beat JD Vance because he (Ryan) didn't try to motivate the base to get out and vote and instead insulted Democrats and acted like a conservative. Ryan would have stood a better chance running against Dewine, especially if he "acted like a conservative". That election was a national race and the current character of the national party was a big issue. Vance ran against "progressivism" as much as he did against Ryan.
January 24Jan 24 Vivek has some competition. Attorney General Dave Yost officially jumps in 2026 Ohio governor’s race Published: Jan. 23, 2025 By Jeremy Pelzer, cleveland.com COLUMBUS, Ohio—Attorney General Dave Yost is making official what’s been perhaps the most poorly kept secret in Ohio politics the past two years: He’s running for governor in 2026. “Today, there’s no more hints. There’s no more consideration. This is an irrevocable decision, and I’m presenting myself as candidate (for governor) to the people of Ohio,” the Columbus Republican said in an interview Thursday morning. Yost, 68, is the first major Republican to fully launch a campaign for Ohio governor in 2026, when current Gov. Mike DeWine is term limited. Two other prominent Republicans -- 2024 presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and state Treasurer Robert Sprague – are also expected to roll out their campaigns soon. https://www.cleveland.com/news/2025/01/attorney-general-dave-yost-officially-jumps-in-2026-ohio-governors-race.html
January 28Jan 28 More Candidates Running for Governor and Secretary of State in Ohio Ohio’s attorney general and a former state senator have officially put their names in for top jobs in state government. Attorney General Dave Yost has been expected to run for governor, but Thursday he made the official announcement, saying he was “answering the call to duty” after a “groundswell of support” from Ohio voters. “I will be faithful. I will not falter and I will not fail,” Yost said in a statement announcing his bid to take over for Republican Gov. Mike DeWine when his tenure ends in 2026. The announcement touted Yost as an “America First attorney general, supporting President Trump’s agenda at the state level.” He also noted the public corruption scandal involving First Energy (though he did not name the company) as a “pioneering case … reinforcing his commitment to transparent and responsible governance.” “He has defended policies that protect girls’ sports and shield minors from irreversible gender transition surgeries, safeguarding Ohio’s future generations,” the statement added, referring to lawsuits against legislation to ban gender-affirming care for minors and to keep transgender students from participating with sports teams that align with their gender identity. More below: https://columbusunderground.com/more-candidates-running-for-governor-and-secretary-of-state-in-ohio-ocj1/ "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 30Jan 30 Quote Scoop: Backers of Vivek Ramaswamy see big lead Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to announce for Ohio governor in mid-February, is over 50% among Republican primary voters and leads his nearest competitor by 34 points, according to a poll by a pro-Ramaswamy outside group. https://www.axios.com/2025/01/29/vivek-ramaswamy-ohio-governor-republican-survey If Trump's approval ratings haven't plummeted by the GOP primary, I could see Ramaswamy taking the lead with some major endorsements. With the current administration's unpredictability, it's hard to say what the Republican party could look like in a year. Interestingly, the strategy of shoving the most unpopular initiatives through on Day One means a lot of them will get buried in the news cycle rather than reported throughout the course of the year. If across-the-board tariffs turn out to be even a half-serious proposal rather than a negotiation tactic though, we could be living in a blue state much sooner than expected ;)
February 10Feb 10 Jim Tressel Lt. Gov nominee https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/ohio/governor-mike-dewine-jim-tressel-ohio-lieutenant-appointment-former-state-football-coach/95-b23410ea-c31f-4f27-9284-f520f824e8f3 Edited February 10Feb 10 by freethink .
February 10Feb 10 1 hour ago, freethink said: Jim Tressel Lt. Gov nominee https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/ohio/governor-mike-dewine-jim-tressel-ohio-lieutenant-appointment-former-state-football-coach/95-b23410ea-c31f-4f27-9284-f520f824e8f3 Maybe they are planning on going to war with that state up north. They can keep Detriot.....
February 10Feb 10 1 hour ago, freethink said: Jim Tressel Lt. Gov nominee https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/ohio/governor-mike-dewine-jim-tressel-ohio-lieutenant-appointment-former-state-football-coach/95-b23410ea-c31f-4f27-9284-f520f824e8f3 It's nice that at least Ohio has yet to go "crazy Red"
February 10Feb 10 2 hours ago, YABO713 said: It's nice that at least Ohio has yet to go "crazy Red" Except the legislature, state supreme court, Congressmen...
February 11Feb 11 18 hours ago, Pablo said: Tressel has entered the transfer portal.... Think of it as a British knighthood. A little pat on the back with occasional ceremonial duties that is otherwise meaningless. Remember: It's the Year of the Snake
February 11Feb 11 19 hours ago, YABO713 said: It's nice that at least Ohio has yet to go "crazy Red" Wait for it...
February 11Feb 11 Are we also to assume that Tressel is some kind of moderate? He held fundraisers for Bernie Moreno, for god's sake.
February 11Feb 11 1 hour ago, jonoh81 said: Are we also to assume that Tressel is some kind of moderate? He held fundraisers for Bernie Moreno, for god's sake. Not that it makes a huge difference but did he do it for the primaries or for the general election?
February 25Feb 25 https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/24/politics/vivek-ramaswamy-2026-bid-ohio-governor/index.html Ramaswamy officially announces his bid for governor, with full Trump backing. Very Stable Genius
February 25Feb 25 20 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said: https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/24/politics/vivek-ramaswamy-2026-bid-ohio-governor/index.html Ramaswamy officially announces his bid for governor, with full Trump backing. This is why he left DOGE. Elon's more than happy to be the "bad cop" letting DJT be the good cop as needed. I think Vivek thought he would get to be the good cop, but learned otherwise and knew that would preclude a future political career.
February 25Feb 25 35 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said: https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/24/politics/vivek-ramaswamy-2026-bid-ohio-governor/index.html Ramaswamy officially announces his bid for governor, with full Trump backing. Vivek winning the R primary is the best thing that could happen for D’s chances to win. But Tressel is going to win the R primary. It’s depressing that he would tarnish his legacy by publicly putting an R next to his name in 2025. Anyone who thinks they can be in a statewide position as an R and avoid getting drawn into the Trump corruption orbit is delusional. All that said, Tressel as governor is WAY less horrifying than any other realistic R option. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 25Feb 25 7 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said: Vivek winning the R primary is the best thing that could happen for D’s chances to win. But Tressel is going to win the R primary. It’s depressing that he would tarnish his legacy by publicly putting an R next to his name in 2025. Anyone who thinks they can be in a statewide position as an R and avoid getting drawn into the Trump corruption orbit is delusional. All that said, Tressel as governor is WAY less horrifying than any other realistic R option. No one knows if Tressel is running. He's 72. You think he wants to *start* being governor at age 74? Very Stable Genius
February 25Feb 25 Just now, DarkandStormy said: No one knows if Tressel is running. He's 72. You think he wants to *start* being governor at age 74? Completely agree that is a reasonable question. First, based on age, I was surprised DeWine ran for reelection, but he did. Second, many expected Husted to run for governor next year and were surprised when he was nominated to the Senate. Presumably something changed, and Tressel indicating a desire to run for governor would be a logical explanation. Third, why would Tressel take on the Lt Gov position other than to position himself for governor? How much responsibility does the Lt Gov really have? (Sincere question, not tongue in cheek.) I’m struggling to think of another reason why Tressel would have even thrown his name in the hat for Lt Gov. I suspect the “reasonable Republicans” know that 2026 will be brutal for them electorally and are strategizing ways to minimize losses in competitive races, and recruiting Tressel would fit with that strategy, but if Tressel wasn’t interested that wouldn’t work. When is the last time I-71 turned a profit?
February 25Feb 25 17 minutes ago, Boomerang_Brian said: Vivek winning the R primary is the best thing that could happen for D’s chances to win. But Tressel is going to win the R primary. It’s depressing that he would tarnish his legacy by publicly putting an R next to his name in 2025. Anyone who thinks they can be in a statewide position as an R and avoid getting drawn into the Trump corruption orbit is delusional. All that said, Tressel as governor is WAY less horrifying than any other realistic R option. I do think that Vivek being the nominee is best for Democrats. The fact is that he'll surpress some R votes. I was talking to a conservative friend last fall and he openly said that his conservative parents don't like Vivek and while I would like think to it's because he's a bulls**t grifter and sleazy... no, it's racial. I do wonder if Tressel would care to run at his age, but if he does run, he likely would win... and that would be the best bad option I suppose.
February 25Feb 25 45 minutes ago, E Rocc said: Elon's more than happy to be the "bad cop" letting DJT be the good cop as needed. I’ve seen some media people start saying this and I find it laughable. There is no “good cop” everything Elon does is Trump. There is no separation. They are BAD COPS period. Both of their approvals are plunging.
February 25Feb 25 30 minutes ago, ohpenn said: I do think that Vivek being the nominee is best for Democrats. The fact is that he'll surpress some R votes. I was talking to a conservative friend last fall and he openly said that his conservative parents don't like Vivek and while I would like think to it's because he's a bulls**t grifter and sleazy... no, it's racial. I do wonder if Tressel would care to run at his age, but if he does run, he likely would win... and that would be the best bad option I suppose. Ohio...just racist enough to maybe not elect a Silicon Valley dildo with no political experience. Very Stable Genius
February 25Feb 25 11 minutes ago, DarkandStormy said: Ohio...just racist enough to maybe not elect a Silicon Valley dildo with no political experience. Was thinking the same thing. Vivek and Trump for that matter may actually be underestimating how racist rural Ohio is.
February 25Feb 25 Vivek might be good news for Dems if he makes it through the primary but the Democrats need a better candidate than Amy Acton. I can't see her energizing the base and winning over the swing voters. She's great as a person and a professional but I'm not sure as a politician.
