Candidates

Jon Husted is a Republican U.S. Senator from Ohio, having assumed office in January 2025. He was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to fill the vacancy created by J.D. Vance. Prior to his appointment, Husted had an extensive career in Ohio state government, serving as Lieutenant Governor (2019–2025), Ohio Secretary of State (2011–2019), and a member of both the Ohio State Senate and the House of Representatives, where he served as Speaker of the House from 2005 to 2009. Raised in Williams County, Ohio, Husted was adopted into a family that emphasized faith and hard work. He attended the University of Dayton, where he earned both a bachelor's and a master's degree and was an All-American defensive back on the 1989 Division III National Championship football team. Before entering elective office, he served as the Vice President for Economic Development at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce. In the U.S. Senate, he serves on several committees, including Appropriations, Environment and Public Works, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Jay Edwards is a former state representative (2017–2025). He has entered the crowded Republican primary for Ohio Treasurer in 2026.

Keith Faber (born January 19, 1966) currently serves as the Ohio Auditor of State, an office he assumed on January 11, 2019, and for which his current term ends in 2027. He is also running for Attorney General of Ohio in 2026. Prior to his current role, Faber served multiple terms in the Ohio State Legislature, including in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and 2016 to 2018, and in the Ohio State Senate from 2007 to 2016, where he was president from 2013 to 2017. Professionally, Faber is an attorney and founded Faber and Associates, a civil litigation and mediation law firm in Celina, Ohio. He earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration and policy from Oakland University in 1988 and a law degree from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law in 1991.

Vivek Ramaswamy, a Republican Party candidate for Governor of Ohio in 2026, is an entrepreneur, political commentator, and author. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Indian immigrant parents, he earned a Bachelor's degree in biology from Harvard College in 2007 and a J.D. from Yale Law School in 2013. Prior to his political campaigns, Ramaswamy worked at QVT Financial, founded the biotech holding company Roivant Sciences in 2014, and established the investment firm Strive Asset Management in 2022. He became prominent for his 2021 book "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam," advocating against stakeholder theory in corporations. Ramaswamy previously ran in the 2024 Republican presidential primary and was briefly tapped by Donald Trump to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency.

Derek Merrin is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Ohio's 9th Congressional District. He previously served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for District 42 from 2023 to 2024, and for District 47 from 2016 to 2022. Merrin holds a B.A. from the University of Toledo (2008) and a master's of public administration from Bowling Green State University (2009), along with a public performance measurement certificate from Rutgers University-Newark. His professional background includes experience as a business owner, realtor, and state auditor. Before his state representative roles, Merrin also served as a councilman and mayor of the City of Waterville.

Frank LaRose is the current Ohio Secretary of State, having assumed office on January 12, 2019, with his term ending on January 11, 2027. Prior to this role, he served in the Ohio State Senate representing District 27 from 2011 to 2019. LaRose is a Republican and is currently running for election for Ohio Auditor of State in the 2026 primary. Before his political career, he worked as a business manager and project lead for a consulting firm. He also proudly served in the United States Army from 1998 to 2007, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class, and earned a B.S. in consumer affairs and business from The Ohio State University in 2007.

Robert Sprague currently serves as the Ohio Treasurer, an office he assumed on January 14, 2019, and for which his current term ends on January 11, 2027. Prior to this, he was a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing District 83 from 2011 to 2018. Before his state legislative tenure, Sprague served as the city auditor and treasurer in Findlay, Ohio, his hometown. His professional background includes working as a management consultant for Ernst & Young and operating his own consulting firm. Academically, Sprague earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Duke University in 1996 and an MBA from the University of North Carolina.

Laura Brown is a member of the Republican Party currently seeking election to the Lucas County Commission in Ohio. She has declared her candidacy as a write-in for the Republican primary, which is scheduled for May 5, 2026. Her campaign strategy involves securing a spot on the primary ballot to potentially advance to the general election on November 3, 2026. As a write-in candidate, she is competing for a seat that may feature an incumbent from the Democratic Party, such as Lisa Sobecki.

Robert McMahon was a write-in candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives during the 2020 general election. He ran for office at a time when Republicans held a supermajority in both the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate. The 2020 election cycle in Ohio was characterized by record-breaking early voter turnout and significant focus on redistricting and the composition of the state legislature. While McMahon participated as a write-in candidate, the overall election results saw the Republican party increase its majority in the House to 64 seats.

Carolyn Munn is a candidate for Lucas County Auditor in Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, she has announced her intention to run for the office in the 2026 election cycle. Munn officially declared her candidacy as a write-in candidate for the Republican primary. Her campaign comes at a time of active political positioning within the Lucas County Republican landscape. The primary election in which she is seeking the nomination is scheduled to take place on May 5, 2026, followed by the general election on November 3, 2026. If successful in the primary, she would likely face Democratic incumbent Katie Moline in the general election.

Ian Chamberlin, a Republican candidate for the Ohio House of Representatives in District 41, was born in Toledo, Ohio, to a U.S. Navy enlistee and his wife. Raised with a strong appreciation for service and community, Chamberlin pursued public service through his education and career. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration from George Mason University in 2019 and a Master of Public Policy from George Mason University in 2020. Before launching his campaign, Chamberlin worked at the U.S. Department of Defense and later at the University of Kentucky. He currently works for a private Catholic university, where he negotiates data use agreements, service contracts, and research agreements from foreign and domestic entities.

CJ Kamm is a Republican candidate seeking election to the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. He has declared his candidacy for the Republican primary scheduled for May 5, 2026. The Sixth District Court of Appeals serves several counties in Northwest Ohio, and the general election for this judicial seat is slated for November 3, 2026. In this race, Kamm is positioned to challenge the seat currently held by Democratic incumbent Myron Duhart. His candidacy has been formally certified through official filing processes, including documentation submitted to the state's election authorities for the 2026 election cycle.