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 Dems 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...

Cleveland Public Library workers will go on strike Aug. 24 unless they reach a tentative contract agreement with management before then.

Driving the news: SEIU District 1199 delivered a strike notice to library leadership this week after more than eight months of unsuccessful negotiations.

Catch up quick: Workers voted virtually unanimously earlier this month to authorize a strike.

What they're saying: The union says four bargaining sessions since that vote have failed to produce a deal.

• "We do not want a strike — we want a fair contract," said SEIU regional director Vanessa Dalesandro in a statement.
• The workers are fighting for "livable wages, affordable healthcare, retirement security, safe working conditions, and the respect they deserve," per the statement.
• "Library workers deserve respect, they deserve a fair contract and they deserve a Library administration that values the people who keep this library system running every day. Whether we avoid a strike is a decision that ultimately rests with library leadership."

The other side: "Cleveland Public Library remains committed to reaching a fair and sustainable contract with SEIU District 1199," the library told Axios in a statement.

• "The Library has plans in place to maintain essential operations should a strike occur," adding its focus remains on reaching a deal and avoiding service disruptions.

What's next: Three bargaining sessions are scheduled before Aug. 24.

🛫 The Akron-Canton Airport has become a hub for charter flights transporting and deporting immigrants operated by Eastern Air Express for ICE. (Akron Beacon Journal)

🏥 A controversial new mental health crisis center will open in the Central neighborhood in September. (Signal Cleveland)

Mackenzie Shirilla, from the Netflix documentary "The Crash," is challenging her conviction and life sentence in federal court. (Cleveland.com)

🏈 Browns defensive back Denzel Ward has agreed to a two-year contract worth up to $62.2 million, making him — once again — the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. (Sports Illustrated)

Cleveland has become the Land of Construction in 2026.

Why it matters: It seems no matter where you go in Northeast Ohio, you're faced with lane closures, detours or gridlock.

State of frustration: The list of ongoing projects includes work on the I-90 Innerbelt Central Interchange, Memorial Bridges Loop and numerous others listed by the Ohio Department of Transportation.

• Not to mention smaller projects in various suburban neighborhoods on the east and west sides.

💭 Troy's thought bubble: I live in Fairview Park. Taking I-90 into the city is a nightmare on par with a Wes Craven film.

• The street my ex-wife and kids live on has been undergoing improvements for nearly a year.

💭 Sam's thought bubble: Ridge Road in Parma is practically a war zone these days. I ground my teeth down to nubs last week watching a construction vehicle execute a three-point turn near Biddulph Plaza.

• Incidentally, I-490? Hell on earth.

📧 We want to hear from you. Hit reply and tell us about your traffic woes related to construction and what you expect with more projects planned in the coming years.

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is swinging all over Northeast Ohio.

State of play: Phoenix Theaters Great Northern Mall is rolling out the red carpet with 36 hours of nonstop screenings, starting at noon today.

• Euclid-based Atlas Cinemas, which has a handful of locations throughout Northeast Ohio, has special concession merchandise in case you've ever wanted to sip soda from a Spidey web cartridge.

Area drive-ins like Elm Road in Warren and Magic City in Barberton are also heavily promoting the film, expected to be the summer's biggest box-office hit.

• The Guardians are giving away a Spider-Man bobblehead to a limited number of fans during Wednesday's game against the New York Mets.

The big picture: Peter Parker has some history in Cleveland. Parts of 2007's "Spider-Man 3" were filmed downtown.

• "Brand New Day" sets up the Marvel Cinematic Universe's "Avengers: Doomsday," which arrives in December and is directed by Cleveland natives Anthony and Joe Russo.