Ohio voters delivered major changes to state and federal leadership during the 2026 midterm election, with several incumbents losing their re-election bids and Democrats gaining seats across the state.
Ohio Farm Bureau AGGPAC candidates who earned the Friend of Agriculture designation saw at least a 90% success on election night, with a few races triggering a recount.
Key election highlights include:
Governor: Democrat Amy Acton defeated Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to become Ohio’s 71st governor and the first woman elected to the office.
U.S. Senate: Former Sen. Sherrod Brown defeated incumbent Sen. Jon Husted, by almost 5 points, to finish the final two years of Vice President JD Vance’s term.
U.S. House: Democrats flipped Republican seats, with Don Leonard defeating incumbent Mike Carey and Brian Poindexter defeating incumbent Max Miller. Kristina Knickerbocker also beat incumbent Mike Turner in a closely contested race.
Statewide office: Democrats will hold all statewide executive offices except state auditor. John Kulewicz prevailed over Keith Faber for attorney general, Allison Russo beat Robert Sprague for secretary of state, and Seth Walsh beat Jay Edwards for treasurer of state. Frank LaRose will be the only Republican statewide officeholder as state auditor.
Ohio Supreme Court: Marilyn Zayas defeated Republican incumbent Justice Dan Hawkins, while Justice Jennifer Brunner won re-election over Colleen O’Donnell. Republicans will retain a 5-2 majority on the court. Both O’Donnell and Hawkins were named Friends of Agriculture in this election.
Ohio General Assembly: Democrats gained seats in both chambers, ending the Republican veto-proof majority in the Ohio House. Republicans will retain control of both the House and Senate, with several races awaiting final results.
Issue 3: Voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring photo identification to vote.
Friend of Agriculture Results: Candidates earning the Friend of Agriculture designation saw strong results in General Assembly races, with 15 of 16 designated Ohio Senate candidates races, and only incumbent Michele Reynolds facing a loss. In the Ohio House, 70 FOA candidates won their elections, with three FOA incumbents facing losses and three FOA candidates still awaiting results with races that are too close to call. This leaves at least 95 out of 105 FOA victories in the 2026 midterm elections.
Ohio voters delivered major changes to state and federal leadership during the 2026 midterm election, with several incumbents losing their re-election bids and Democrats gaining seats across the state.
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Whittney Bowers discusses the 2026 Election Guide, the grassroots process behind Friend of Agriculture designations and how OFBF engages in elections.
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Five of Ohio’s leading business organizations, including Ohio Farm Bureau, announced support this week for Justice Dan Hawkins and Colleen O’Donnell in the 2026 elections for the Ohio Supreme Court.
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Brad Bales, senior director of state and national policy for Ohio Farm Bureau, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of grassroots advocacy, the impact of sharing your story and why staying engaged matters.
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Acton discusses her potential priorities for Ohio, including agriculture, economic development, workforce development and the realities facing farm families.
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On this episode of the podcast, we sit down with Vivek Ramaswamy to discuss his potential priorities for Ohio, including agriculture, economic development, workforce development and the realities facing farm families.
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