Ohio voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday to select candidates for the upcoming November midterm elections, with the state expected to play a pivotal role in determining whether Republicans maintain control of Congress for the final two years of President Donald Trump's term.
High-Profile Senate Race
The most nationally prominent contest is the Senate special election, where Democrat Sherrod Brown is attempting to unseat Republican incumbent Jon Husted. Brown, who lost his re-election bid in 2024, seeks to return to the Senate and serve the final two years of the term originally won by JD Vance in 2022 before he became vice president. The winner will fill the seat for the remainder of Vance's term.
Other Key Contests
In northwest Ohio, Republicans are choosing a nominee to challenge Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in congressional history. Her district, centered on Toledo, has grown increasingly conservative under new maps approved by a state redistricting commission last year. Kaptur is considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats in the country.
Ohioans will also select candidates to replace Governor Mike DeWine, who is term-limited. On the Republican side, biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is the frontrunner, endorsed by Trump and the state Republican party. He faces a challenge from the right by Casey Putsch, an internet personality and auto racing engineer. The leading Democrat is former state health department director Amy Acton.
Political Landscape
Ohio, once a swing state that decided the 2004 presidential election for George W. Bush and then backed Barack Obama twice, has become increasingly Republican since Trump's rise. In 2024, Trump won the state by 12 percentage points, and Brown lost his Senate seat to Republican Bernie Moreno, helping the GOP gain control of the Senate.
However, with Trump's approval ratings underwater, particularly on economic issues, Democrats believe they have an opportunity to reclaim Brown's seat and flip vulnerable House seats. Republicans are expected to win at least 10 of Ohio's 15 House seats, but Democrats are hopeful for gains.
Primary Expectations
Both Brown and Husted are expected to win their primaries, as is Acton. The most contested primary is among Republicans vying to unseat Kaptur. Candidates include former state representative Derek Merrin, who lost to Kaptur in 2024 by fewer than 2,400 votes; Madison Sheahan, former deputy director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and state representative Josh Williams.
Winners of the primaries will advance to the November 3 midterms, where all 435 House seats and 33 Senate seats are up for election nationwide.
