Brace for more political ads, Ohio
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The November midterms are less than 100 days away and political groups are pouring ad money into Ohio.
Why it matters: The record spending shows both parties see opportunities in our marquee matchups, despite years of Republican dominance in statewide elections.
- Ohio's "three C" cities are its largest Democratic strongholds, and it's expected the party will be eyeing them to boost turnout.
Follow the money: An estimated $750 million will be spent here this election cycle, per AdImpact's 2026 Political Ad Spending Report.
- That's 70% above the tracker's initial forecast — and the biggest jump of any state.
- Ohio's projected spending is now fourth-highest, behind California, Michigan and Texas.
What they're saying: "When no one was looking, Ohio became a swing state again," Time declared earlier this year.
The races everyone is watching:
🗳️ U.S. Senate, Democrat Sherrod Brown vs. Republican Jon Husted
- Brown's potential comeback story is of national importance, as Democrats will take control of the Senate with a net gain of four seats.
- The winner serves the last two years of the term JD Vance vacated to become vice president.
- Husted is the incumbent appointed in 2025.
🏛️ Ohio governor, Democrat Amy Acton vs. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy
- This close race threatens Ohio's near-20-year run of Republican victories.
- Either candidate could bring ideological shifts. Outgoing Gov. Mike DeWine is considered moderate by today's standards, while Ramaswamy has President Trump's endorsement.
- Both would make history if elected — one as Ohio's first elected woman governor, the other as Ohio's first minority governor.
9️⃣ Ohio's 9th Congressional District, Democrat Marcy Kaptur vs. Republican Derek Merrin
- This Northwest Ohio race illustrates redistricting's impact.
- Kaptur won her 22nd term in 2024 by a slim margin. Now her redrawn district leans more Republican.
- Democrats will take control of the House with a net gain of three seats.
Of note: Ohio's Nov. 3 ballot also features Statehouse races and a statewide constitutional amendment regarding voter ID requirements, but they're attracting much less attention.
What we're watching: If all these ads convince more people to go to the polls.
- In the 2022 May primary, Republican voters outnumbered Democrats by almost 2-to-1.
- This May, the parties' turnout nearly matched, Signal Ohio reports.
What's next: The deadline to register to vote in November is Oct. 5.