With Governor Mike DeWine’s term set to expire on Jan. 11, 2027, a number of notable individuals have declared their intention to run for the governor’s seat in the 2026 gubernatorial elections.
Vivek Ramaswamy, the 39-year-old biotech entrepreneur who founded Roivant Sciences in 2014, announced the start of his gubernatorial campaign on Feb. 24, running on the Republican ticket.
Ramaswamy had previously run as a presidential candidate in the Republican primary for the 2024 election, but dropped out in early 2024 to endorse President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. His embrace of Trump’s platform and crusade against what he considered “woke ideology” garnered a significant following among right-wing circles, including being boosted by an appearance on Tucker Carlson.
In a press conference announcing his run, Ramaswamy said, “America is back and it feels fantastic,” referring to Trump’s recent victory in the 2024 presidential election.
“Over the last four years we went through a national identity crisis,” said Ramaswamy. “Faith, patriotism, hard work, family, all but disappeared. Young people in this country were hungry to be part of something bigger than themselves, yet so many couldn’t answer what it meant to be an American.”
Challenging Ramaswamy in the Republican primary is the incumbent Attorney General of Ohio, Dave Yost, who announced his run for governor on Jan. 23.
Announcing his run on X, formally known as Twitter, Yost wrote “I’m officially running to be Ohio’s next governor. I’m honored to serve as your America First Attorney General & support President Trump’s agenda. With your help, we’ll move Ohio forward to a brighter future.”
Former Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Amy Acton announced her intention to run for the governor’s office on Jan. 7, running on the Democratic ticket, a move which the Associated Press notes “places her at an immediate disadvantage in a state that has turned solidly red in recent years.”
Acton’s tenure as ODH director saw her lead the state’s COVID-19 pandemic response in early 2020, wielding broad emergency powers to mitigate the effects of the pandemic.
Her actions during the pandemic have led to a mix of criticism and praise. AP notes that Acton’s calm demeanor reassured many Ohioans at the outbreak of the pandemic, yet her use of emergency powers also brought sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers.
Acton would later resign as ODH director in June 2020 after protesters gathered outside her home to protest the imposition of pandemic-related restrictions earlier that year.
As of the time of writing, no other candidates have declared their intention to run for governor on the Democratic ticket, though some have publicly expressed interest.
Former House representative Tim Ryan has said “I’m keeping my options open right now” in response to the election results last November.
Chris Redfern, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, has also expressed interest in either running for governor or another statewide office.
The gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on Nov. 3, 2026.
