# 2026 Ohio Governers Race **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [March 5, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218 "2026-03-05T02:08:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/1 "2026-03-05T02:08:48Z")
Mike DeWine’s 2nd term is ending (and he’s 80), so the Ohio gubernatorial race is going to be interesting. Amy Acton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, was the Health Director through covid, and so became a household name among voters. Failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is likely to be the Republican nominee. Currently the polls are close, with a marginal edge to Vivek. DeWine won reelection with a +25 result in 2022. As an incumbent, he was a popular candidate; a moderate Republican (remember those?), he took a science-based approach to covid, pushed back against Trump (sometimes), and vetoed some of the crazier shit coming out of our legislature. Also, his opponent had the bad luck of being a woman. Our last national election was in 2024. Used car salesman Bernie Moreno won over incumbent and local blue collar hero Sherrod Brown by +6. Vivek has made news in liberal circles when he runs up against racist and xenophobic Republicans. Also, billionaire conservatism doesn’t seem popular here, IMO. Given the recent evidence of a blue wave, I’m actually fairly optimistic about Acton’s chances. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/2 "2026-03-05T02:21:21Z")
Ohio went Red last presidential election. Right now its up for grabs. I would never vote for Acton ( I am an Ohioan) because of her overbearing and pointless lockdown measures. ---
**Author:** ![BlueOhio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BlueOhio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueOhio)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/3 "2026-03-05T13:35:17Z")
It’s attitudes like that which will make Acton’s success reliant on Ohio’s racist voters staying home and not voting. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2026, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/4 "2026-03-05T13:41:25Z")
Lifelong Ohioan here. I’m not a fan of the personality of either. Acton comes off as a flake & crunchy hippie, while Ramaswamy is a hot head with anger issues. Of the two, though, Ramaswamy appears to have a much better understanding of economics, so I suppose I’ll vote for him and hope for the best. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/5 "2026-03-06T19:57:15Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Right now its up for grabs. I would never vote for Acton ( I am an Ohioan) because of her overbearing and pointless lockdown measures. She’s a MD whose residency was in pediatrics and preventive medicine and also had a Master’s in public health. Out of curiosity, what are your credentials to make that judgment call? ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/6 "2026-03-06T20:01:50Z")
Must I have a medical degree to wonder why being alone outside for more than 1 hour would make me catch a disease? ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/7 "2026-03-06T20:17:05Z")
I don’t remember not being allowed outside by myself. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/8 "2026-03-06T20:42:12Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Must I have a medical degree to wonder why being alone outside for more than 1 hour would make me catch a disease? I didn’t ask if you had a medical degree. Did she ever say that being alone outside would make you catch a disease? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/9 "2026-03-06T20:45:12Z")
Here is the actual order. It’s nothing like you claim > **[Stay%20Home%20Order.pdf](https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHOOD/2020/03/22/file_attachments/1407840/Stay%20Home%20Order.pdf)** > > 7.88 MB ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/10 "2026-03-06T22:47:06Z")
Not being outside unless its essential? I think it is essential. Will vote for whoever isnt her. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2026, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/11 "2026-03-06T23:19:40Z")
If you thought it was essential then it was essential. I don’t understand your problem here. I’m not about to tell you how to vote but you were objectively wrong about the rules. Own it. ---
**Author:** ![BlueOhio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BlueOhio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueOhio)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/12 "2026-03-09T12:50:26Z")
```auto See? ``` ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/13 "2026-03-09T15:52:21Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > Not being outside unless its essential? > I think it is essential. So did she. Read 5C in the link above your post. Nobody was prohibited from going outside by that order; not even the people who didn’t have any outdoor space as part of their homes. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/14 "2026-03-09T16:09:57Z")
Forget it Jake, it’s Magatown. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2026, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2026-ohio-governers-race/1028218/15 "2026-03-09T16:39:49Z")
I think Acton is pretty great. She’s from the blue collar town of Youngstown, and had a crazy upbringing that had her experience poverty and homelessness. She graduated from YSU and then went to NEOUCOM to get her medical degree then her masters at OSU. That’s pretty f’n Ohio if you ask me. At least by my experiences in my corner of Ohio. She’s got a Sherrod Brown edge but with the vastly different experience in public health. She has experience working with people and speaking for people. I loved her during COVID and followed her regular updates. I’ll be backing her, donating, putting up a sign and voting for her.