Fall election will feature exciting races

SANDUSKY — It may not be a presidential election year, but the midterm elections in Ohio will have plenty of exciting races for voters to decide. The race for governor and other statewide races may show whether Ohio still has vestiges of being a swing state, as it was known for years, or whether it is firmly in the Republican column. And races for Congress, including a contest in a House district that includes Sandusky, will help determine whether Republicans or Democrats are in control in both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House. Tuesday's primary helped settle the nominees for Ohio's three recognized political parties. Here's a look at what's going to be on the ballot on Nov. 3. Note that this does not include any independent candidates. Statewide races Governor In what was probably the least-surprising result on Tuesday night, Vivek Ramaswamy quickly secured the Republican nomination. His Democratic opponent will be Dr. Amy Acton, who served as Ohio's state health director during much of the COVID-19 pandemic. There's also a Libertarian candidate, Don Kissick. While the race is expected to be competitive, two political forecasting organizations, the Cook Political Report and Sabato's Crystal Ball, both currently rank the governor's race as "leans Republican." Ted Strickland, from 2007 to 2011, was Ohio's last Democratic governor. Other state races The race for attorney general will pit Republican Keith Faber against Democrat John Kulewicz. For auditor, it's Democrat Annette Blackwell versus Republican Frank LaRose and Libertarian Aidan Michael Jeffery. The secretary of state race has Democrat Allison Russo, Republican Robert Sprague and Libertarian Tom Pruss. The state treasurer contest pits Republican Jay Edwards against Democrat Seth Walsh. Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, wants another term on the Ohio Supreme Court. She'll be opposed by Republican Colleen O'Donnell, who won a primary against three opponents. In the other Supreme Court race, Democrat Marilyn Zayas will take on Republican Daniel R. Hawkins. Races for Congress U.S. Senate Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted wants a full six-year term. Democratic former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, who lost in 2024, wants his old job back. The race also includes a Libertarian, William Redpath. 9th U.S. House District Tuesday's Republican primary had five Republican candidates, and four of them agreed that former state Rep. Derrin Merrin, who narrowly lost to U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur in 2024, should be replaced as the Republican nominee this year. Many Republican voters still like Merrin, and he won the GOP nomination with about 44% of the vote. Merrin will face veteran Democratic Kaptur, who has won every election to Congress since her first in 1982. Libertarian Matt Althaus is also running. All three candidates live in the Toledo area. The 9th District includes Sandusky, Port Clinton, Fremont and Toledo. Covering much of northwest Ohio, it includes communities in Erie, Ottawa, Sandusky, Lucas, Defiance, Fulton, Williams and Wood counties. Political forecasting services, so far, rate the contest as a toss-up. 5th U.S. House District The 5th U.S. House District is represented by Republican Bob Latta, who is seeking another term. Democrat Brian Shaver won the four-person primary on Tuesday, defeating Martin Heberling III, Daniel John Burket and Scott Tabor. Shaver lives in Fostoria where he is president of the Fostoria City Council. The district includes all of Huron and Seneca counties, and all or part of Crawford, Hancock, Henry, Lorain, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Wood and Wyandot counties. The Cook Political Report rates the district as solidly Republican. Ohio legislative races State Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, faces Democrat Easton Retzke of Sandusky. Neither man had a primary opponent to worry about on Tuesday. The district includes all of Erie County, Ottawa County except for Genoa, and two bits of Huron County, Bellevue and Wakeman. In the 88th House District, Sandusky and Seneca counties, the Republican nominee is again state Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery, who survived a challenge Tuesday from Eric Watson. Click's Democratic opponent is Aaron Jones, a member of the Tiffin City Council. The House District 54 race, for a district that includes communities in Huron and Lorain counties, pits incumbent state Rep. Kellie Deeter, R-Norwalk, against Democrat Brenda Buchanan of Columbia Station. The district has all of Huron County, except for Lyme and Wakeman townships. Note that state Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, whose 2nd District includes Sandusky, won a four-year term in 2024 and thus isn't on the ballot this year. Erie County races Local races will include a county commission race pitting Democrat Mindy Kayl and Republican incumbent Steve Shoffner. There is also a county auditor contest with incumbent Republican Rick Jeffrey against Democrat Paul Meisel. Tom Dusza, a Republican, won his race for common pleas court judge. He doesn't have a Democratic opponent. Huron County races Most notable among Huron County races was the Republican county commissioner primary where Terry Boose defeated Jeffery Ritz and Royden Smith. Boose will face off against Libertarian Cassaundra Fryman in November. Fryman did not have an opponent in the Libertarian primary. There are also no Democrats in the race.