Ohio was home to one of the nation’s most competitive races for governor in the 2026 midterm elections, as entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat physician Amy Acton battled to replace term-limited GOP governor Mike DeWine. But on Tuesday, Acton defeated Ramaswamy, according to the AP.
The Buckeye State, which is also home to Vice President JD Vance, hasn’t elected a Democrat to its highest office since 2006. But rising concerns regarding affordability and data centers boosted the campaign of Acton and running mate David Pepper, the former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party. Ramaswamy’s running mate, Rob McColley, is currently the Ohio Senate president.
A $4 million ad campaign from Ramaswamy had also split Republicans. The commercial featured Acton’s mother, from whom Acton has been estranged since her stepfather was reportedly arrested and charged with raping Acton when she was 12 years old. (According to The New York Times, the stepfather, who died in 2004, pleaded not guilty to the charges and then fled the state before trial.) In the ad, Acton’s 82-year-old mother, Donna Arthur, says, “Don’t let her become your governor,” prompting GOP members, including DeWine, to repudiate the commercial.
Meanwhile, Ohio’s US Senate race also went to the Democrats, further cementing their grip on the House. Over $500 million has been spent in the battle for the seat currently held by Republican senator Jon Husted, who was appointed to the role by DeWine in 2025 to replace JD Vance. Husted has been singled out for praise by President Donald Trump in recent weeks, especially when it comes to his physique, but trailed in the polls behind Democrat Sherrod Brown, who lost his previous seat in the US Senate to Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024. The Associated Press and CNN have projected Brown as the winner, giving his party a major win in one of the country’s most closely watched Senate contests.
