2026 Election

We showed up at the door.

Ohio Citizen Action empowered Ohioans to create change. In close, high-stakes elections, talking with voters face to face makes a real difference. Our organizers made a significant impact, and we have the numbers to prove it.

With member support, Ohio Citizen Action canvassers:

• 423,043 doors knocked
• 239,274 phone calls
• 41,270 face-to-face conversations
• 1,561 phone conversations

We talked about what hits closest to home.

• Rising utility bills. Ohio families have been paying the price for energy laws written by utilities and special interests.
• A Statehouse shaped by corruption. The House Bill 6 bribery scandal showed what happens when special interests buy influence in Columbus.
• The freedom to vote. Fair elections are the first step toward fixing every other problem facing our state.

We backed candidates who put Ohioans first.

Ohio Citizen Action’s Board of Directors approves every endorsement. Each candidate we endorsed is committed to energy affordability, accountability and voting rights.

Ohio voters delivered.

Governor: Dr. Amy Acton

Dr. Amy Acton’s victory sends a clear message that Ohioans are ready to restore trust in state government. Acton ran on a platform to:

• Crack down on the Statehouse corruption that lets special interests write our energy laws.
• Make Ohio more affordable by tackling utility bills, housing and health care costs.
• Restore the energy efficiency programs cut in the House Bill 6 bribery scandal and keep Ohio’s energy dollars in Ohio.

Ohioans chose a governor who puts people over politics. For years, families have paid the price for a Statehouse that answers to utilities and special interests. Governor-elect Acton has promised to change that, and we look forward to working with her to lower energy costs and clean up Ohio.

U.S. Senate: Sherrod Brown

Sherrod Brown’s return to the U.S. Senate means Ohio once again has a senator who answers to voters, not donors. During his previous time in office, Brown:

• Opposed the trade deals that hollowed out Ohio manufacturing.
• Fought for veterans exposed to toxic burn pits.
• Restored Social Security benefits for tens of thousands of Ohioans.
• Stood up to FirstEnergy’s illegal customer charges.

Sherrod Brown has never forgotten who he works for. At a time when too many leaders answer to big donors, Ohio voters sent back a Senator with a 20-year record of standing up for working families and ratepayers.

U.S. House

All five congressional candidates endorsed by Ohio Citizen Action won their races.

Greg Landsman (OH-1)
Congressman Greg Landsman won re-election in Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, even though the new district lines were drawn to favor Republicans. His win shows that gerrymandering can’t silence Ohio’s cities when voters turn out. In Congress, Landsman introduced:

• The No Harm Data Center Act, which would make data centers pay for the grid upgrades they need instead of passing those costs on to families.
• The Drain the Swamp Act, a sweeping anti-corruption package.

Brian Poindexter (OH-7)
Brian Poindexter beat incumbent Max Miller to represent Ohio’s 7th Congressional District. Poindexter is a union ironworker who grew up in the communities he will now represent, and he owes nothing to the political establishment. He ran on:

• An economy that rewards hard work.
• Lower costs for working families, including fair utility bills.
• Requiring companies that receive tax breaks and subsidies to create good jobs here at home.

Marcy Kaptur (OH-9)
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur won re-election in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. She is the longest-serving woman in the history of Congress, and her experience and record of working across the aisle are things Ohio can’t afford to lose. Kaptur has been one of the strongest voices in Congress on the House Bill 6 bribery scandal. She:

• Called for an independent forensic audit of FirstEnergy.
• Introduced the Ratepayer Justice and Commercial Power Accountability Act, which would return money taken by corrupt utilities to the customers who were overcharged.

Emilia Sykes (OH-13)
Congresswoman Emilia Sykes won re-election in Ohio’s 13th Congressional District, one of the most competitive districts in the country. Sykes has earned voters’ trust by building bipartisan coalitions, including after the East Palestine train derailment. In Congress, Sykes has:

• Co-sponsored the Freedom to Vote Act.
• Introduced the Closing Bribery Loopholes Act.
• Opposed legislation that would drive up utility bills for working families.

Don Leonard (OH-15)
Don Leonard, a first-time candidate, won election to represent Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. Leonard left a tenured academic track to run because he was worried about the world his daughter would inherit. He ran on:

• An economy where every full-time job supports a full life.
• Listening to constituents concerned about data centers and private development affecting Ohio’s land and water.

Voters in the 15th District chose a fresh voice who will work for the people.

Ohio Supreme Court: Justice Jennifer Brunner and Judge Marilyn Zayas

Two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court were on the ballot this November. Ohio Citizen Action endorsed Justice Jennifer Brunner and Judge Marilyn Zayas, and both won.

Ohio Supreme Court justices are our last line of defense against Statehouse corruption. The court rules on critical issues like reproductive rights, election law and utility-scale solar siting across Ohio.

Secretary of State: Allison Russo

Allison Russo, a former state representative, is Ohio’s new Secretary of State. Her commitment to free and fair elections won support from voters across the state. Russo believes protecting voting rights comes first, before the state can fix its other problems. She ran on:

• Securing elections.
• Modernizing business services.
• Serving all Ohioans with integrity and transparency.

Attorney General: John Kulewicz

John Kulewicz won his race to become Ohio’s new Attorney General. He has spent his career fighting price-fixing monopolies, wage theft and consumer fraud. Ohio needs a watchdog in this office, which investigates and prosecutes people who break environmental laws and keeps the marketplace safe for consumers.

State Treasurer: Seth Walsh

Seth Walsh won his race for Ohio State Treasurer. The Treasurer manages the state’s money and serves as chief investment officer for its investment and debt portfolios. The office also collects state taxes and fees and keeps Ohio’s unclaimed property database. Walsh ran on:

• Transparency in how Ohio manages its money.
• Opposing the Ohio Legislature’s use of unclaimed funds for sports stadiums.
• Uplifting neighborhoods throughout the state.

Ohio House District 60: Shelby Kimball

Military veteran Shelby Kimball won her race to represent Ohio House District 60 in Columbus. She ran on:

• Reducing everyday costs.
• Creating good-paying jobs that let families build real economic security.
• Setting clear standards to protect the environment, use resources sustainably and keep data center costs from being passed on to communities.

“I intend to serve the people, listen to their concerns, and always vote in their best interests,” Kimball said in a prepared statement. “We have enough politicians who serve special interests and corporate donors. This year, voters have elected for change, and I intend to work as hard as I can to deliver.”

What comes next

These victories reinforce Ohio’s commitment to justice for all Ohioans, holding elected officials accountable and getting corruption out of our state politics. But winning on Election Night is only the beginning. Rachael Belz, Ohio Citizen Action CEO:

“Ohioans want lower energy bills, a reliable grid, fair elections, and a government that answers to them, not special interests. Ohio Citizen Action’s canvassers will keep organizing in neighborhoods across the state to ensure that our newly elected officials hear directly from the people they now serve.”

Help us hold them to their promises.