The rating
Lean Democrat
Rated Lean Democrat by Cook Political Report on Oct 13, 2026.
| Forecaster | Rating | As of |
|---|---|---|
| Cook Political Report (opens in a new tab) | Lean D | Oct 13, 2026 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball | Lean D | Latest |
Who is running
Vivek Ramaswamy
Republican Open seat
Amy Acton
Democrat Open seat
The facts
- DeWine won in 2022 with 62.4% and is term-limited.
- President Trump and Vice President Vance backed Ramaswamy, who beat Casey Putsch in the May 5 primary.
- A Cook Political Report poll, Oct. 9-13, 2026, of 959 likely Ohio voters (margin of error 3.2 points; Democratic firm New River Strategies and Republican firm GS Strategy Group), found Acton ahead 49% to 44%.
- A Marist poll found Acton ahead by seven points.
Worth knowing about this race
A Ramaswamy ad featuring Acton's estranged mother drew controversy. Vice President Vance also rallied for Ramaswamy in Ohio. (The Hill)
Opinion
Why this race matters to conservatives
Ohio has a Republican governor now. Both polls named here show a Democratic lead.
This box is the opinion of RightNewsRightNow. The rest of this page is reporting, with sources listed below.
Where these facts come from
- Cook Political ReportCurrent rating, as of Oct 13, 2026Read it (opens in a new tab)
- Wikipedia (election pages, with their cited sources)Candidate and race factsRead it (opens in a new tab)