What's at stake in Ohio's 2026 statewide races
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The governor's race and U.S. Senate contest may dominate the airwaves, but Ohio voters will also choose who oversees elections, investigations and state spending. Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios
Four statewide offices — attorney general, secretary of state, auditor and treasurer — are up for grabs in Ohio this election season, along with two Ohio Supreme Court seats.
State of play: All four executive seats are open, with three term-limited Republicans seeking other jobs.
Attorney general: Keith Faber (R) vs. John Kulewicz (D)
Faber, the state auditor and former Ohio Senate president, faces Kulewicz, a longtime attorney and Upper Arlington City Council member.
Friction point: Faber emphasizes opioid enforcement and treatment resources in jails, while Kulewicz focuses on recovery assistance, per WKBN.
- The Blade reports both support Flock surveillance cameras with privacy safeguards, but differ on the protections needed.
Secretary of state: Robert Sprague (R) vs. Allison Russo (D) vs. Tom Pruss (L)
Sprague, the state treasurer, faces Ohio Rep. Russo (the former Democratic House minority leader) and Pruss, a Toledo-area business owner.
Friction point: Sprague backs stricter voter ID and citizenship requirements, while Russo warns they could prevent eligible voters from casting ballots, according to Signal Ohio.
- The two major candidates also differ on redistricting: Russo supports reform, while Sprague defends Ohio's bipartisan map compromise.
- Pruss wants easier ballot access, more transparent elections and streamlined business filings.
Auditor: Frank LaRose (R) vs. Annette Blackwell (D)
LaRose, the secretary of state, faces Blackwell, the Maple Heights mayor who helped guide the Cleveland suburb out of fiscal emergency.
Where they stand: LaRose wants to expand performance audits to identify government waste and use AI to flag potential fraud in public spending, NBC4 reported.
- Signal reported Blackwell wants the auditor's office to help local governments avoid financial crises through training and fiscal guidance. She also backs reforms to property taxes and drawing political maps.
Treasurer: Jay Edwards (R) vs. Seth Walsh (D)
Edwards, a former state lawmaker and House Finance Committee chair, faces Walsh, a Cincinnati City Council member and former economic developer.
Follow the money: Edwards wants to invest more state money in local banks and improve spending transparency through Ohio Checkbook, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.
- Walsh, meanwhile, emphasizes community development and using state resources to reinvest in Ohio.
Zoom in: Both oppose using unclaimed funds for stadium projects, though Walsh also supports the lawsuit challenging the policy.
- Walsh separately opposes new investments in Israel or other foreign countries.
Ohio Supreme Court: Daniel Hawkins (R) vs. Marilyn Zayas (D) and Colleen O'Donnell (R) vs. Jennifer Brunner (D)
The Supreme Court has the final say on state law, including abortion rights, elections and government authority.
- Republicans currently hold a 6-1 majority.
State of play: Brunner, the court's only Democrat, faces O'Donnell, a former Franklin County judge. Hawkins, an incumbent, faces Zayas, an appeals court judge in Hamilton County.
Zoom in: A recent Dayton Daily News report highlights the candidates' views on the court's direction.
- Hawkins says judges must apply the law as written, even when they disagree with the outcome. Zayas told Ideastream that decisions overturning precedent undermine public trust.
- O'Donnell emphasizes public safety and interprets the Constitution as originally intended. She told the Ohio Capital Journal she never granted asylum as an immigration judge. Brunner stresses judicial independence and fairness, highlighting her work creating a felony drug court.