U.S. Senate
This year will also feature what’s expected to be a bruising bout between Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted and former senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat who was knocked out of his seat by Sen. Bernie Moreno in one of the most expensive U.S. Senate races on record back in 2024.
While Brown and Husted are the big names in the race, three other candidates filed: Libertarian Jeffrey Kanter, Libertarian William Redpath, and Democrat Ron Kincaid.
State executive offices
This year’s races for executive offices at the state level will stick new (or relatively new) faces at the helm of Ohio’s broad executive policy and in offices that carry out policies on elections, law enforcement, investments and debts, fiscal audits on government agencies and much more.
The wide-scale overhaul looms thanks to term limits. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, Attorney General Dave Yost, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Auditor Keith Faber, and Treasurer Robert Sprague each entered office in 2018 and are all finishing up their second and final terms in their respective offices.
Some of those officials — LaRose, Sprague and Faber — hope to play a game of musical chairs, of sorts, each running for a new, different executive office. LaRose is gunning for auditor, Sprague for secretary of state, and Faber for attorney general.
Another, Yost, saw his hopes of switching executive offices dashed when the Ohio GOP chose to endorse Vivek Ramaswamy, instead of him, to become the political machine’s preferred gubernatorial candidate. Yost ended his campaign and hasn’t announced any new political ambitions.
Nor are there future political plans for DeWine, 79, or Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, who jumped into the role to finish out the LG term originally won by Jon Husted before DeWine appointed him to the U.S. Senate.
Here are all the 2026 candidates for executive office that filed with the secretary of state’s office before deadline.
Governor
Democrats
Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health who helped DeWine guide the state through the COVID-19 pandemic. Her running mate is David Pepper, the former Ohio Democratic Party chair.
Republicans
Heather Hill, an entrepreneur from Morgan County who got her political start through her local school board. Her running mate is Stuart Moats, who, according to the campaign website, is a “reality TV star and entrepreneur from Beavercreek, Ohio.”
Casey Putsch, a political newcomer and entrepreneur who has grown a following through venting his discontent with the Ohio GOP and its endorsement of Ramaswamy. His running mate is Kimberly Georgeton.
Vivek Ramaswamy, an entrepreneur and former presidential candidate who is an endorsed ally of President Donald Trump. His running mate is Rob McColley, the current president of the Ohio Senate.
Libertarians
Donald Kissick, with running mate James Mills.
Attorney General
Democrats
Elliot Forhan, an attorney and former state lawmaker from Euclid, Ohio.
John Kulewicz, a Columbus-based lawyer and member of Upper Arlington’s city council whose candidacy in the May primary has been backed by the Ohio Democratic Party.
Republicans
Keith Faber, the current auditor of Ohio and former president of the Ohio Senate.
Secretary of State
Democrats
Brian Hambley, a cancer doctor from Warren County.
Allison Russo, the former leader of the Ohio House’s minority caucus and a current representative from Upper Arlington.
Republicans
Robert Sprague, the current treasurer of Ohio who has closely aligned himself with Ramaswamy’s gubernatorial campaign.
Marcell Strbich, a 20-year Air Force Intelligence Officer from Montgomery County.
Libertarian
Tom Pruss, a former congressional candidate.
Auditor
Democrats
Annette Blackwell, the mayor of the Cleveland-area’s Maple Heights.
Republicans
Frank LaRose, the current secretary of state and former state lawmaker.
Treasurer
Democrats
Seth Walsh, a Cincinnati city council member and self-described community development leader.
Republicans
Jay Edwards, a former state lawmaker from southeast Ohio’s Nelsonville.
Kristina Roegner, a longtime state lawmaker who is currently representing an Akron-area district in the Ohio Senate.
Supreme Court races
Statewide voters will also get to weigh in on races for two spots on the Ohio Supreme Court this year.
Jennifer Brunner, the sole Democrat on a six-to-one bench, is up for reelection. She’ll face one of four Republican challengers: former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell, Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge Andrew King; Second District Court of Appeals Judge Ron Lewis; and Judge Jill Lanzinger of the state’s Ninth District Court of Appeals.
Dan Hawkins, a Republican justice with the Supreme Court finishing out an expiring term, will face Democrat Marilyn Zayas of Hamilton County’s First District Court of Appeals this November.
Next up
While all these candidates got their paperwork submitted in time, it’s now up to the local boards of elections to verify that the paperwork was properly submitted and that their petitions have enough valid signatures to actually make it onto the ballot.
Note: This is a developing story and may be updated.
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Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
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