Amy Acton wins Ohio governor's race, first woman in the seat

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 4, 2026. Dr. Amy Acton won the Ohio governor's race on Tuesday, marking a major shift in the state's political balance.

Acton defeated Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech billionaire and 2024 presidential candidate. She becomes the first Democrat to hold the seat in 20 years and the first woman ever elected to the position.

The victory came despite a campaign that saw more than $100 million spent against her. Ramaswamy and his Republican allies poured significant resources into the race, including at least $5 million from Elon Musk into a supporting political action committee.

Acton, 60, campaigned on affordability and healthcare access. She appealed to working and middle-class voters by sharing her background as an Ohio native who was homeless for part of her childhood and lived in a tent during one winter.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance made repeated trips to Ohio in the final weeks of the campaign. They rallied for Ramaswamy and for Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who also lost his bid to retain Vance's former Senate seat.

In her victory speech, Acton greeted supporters with chants of her name. She pledged to lower the temperature of Ohio politics and to never ignore residents, regardless of how they voted.

"The healing begins today," Acton said from the stage. She also addressed the difficult final weeks of the campaign, which included a controversial attack ad featuring her estranged mother, Donna Arthur.

The 60-second spot aired in the days before the election. Arthur, who had been estranged from Acton for nearly 50 years, called her daughter a liar and urged voters to oppose her. The ad drew bipartisan criticism, with five Ohio governors and various women's groups calling for it to be pulled.

Ramaswamy defended the ad as a fair criticism of Acton's past. He took the spot off the air about a week before the vote, having spent roughly a quarter of the $4 million allocated for the ad buy.

In a subdued watch party, Ramaswamy expressed hope and reservations about the future. He told supporters he had serious concerns about the direction of the country but believed the nation would continue to find its way upward.

Acton succeeds Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who is term-limited. DeWine appointed his lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, to the Senate earlier in the year, clearing the path for Ramaswamy to run for governor.

Ramaswamy's candidacy faced headwinds from Casey Putsch, a vehicle designer and YouTube personality who challenged him in the primary. Putsch attracted nearly 18 percent of the Republican vote and announced he planned to vote for Acton in the general election.