Acton Wins Ohio Governor Race Over Ramaswamy
Democrat Amy Acton was projected to defeat Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, while Sherrod Brown was projected to win the Ohio Senate race over Jon Husted.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
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Democrat Amy Acton was projected to defeat Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in the Ohio governor's race, becoming the first woman elected governor of Ohio. Sherrod Brown was also projected to defeat Jon Husted in the Ohio Senate race.
Why it matters
Acton's win makes her the first Democratic governor of Ohio since Ted Strickland, who served from 2007 to 2011. The results reflect a shift in several counties that previously voted Republican.
In Mahoning County, Acton and Pepper received 47,879 votes (54.15%) and Ramaswamy and McColley received 37,482 votes (42.39%). Brown's vote share in Mahoning and Trumbull counties ran 3% higher than in his 2024 race, though the source does not explain the shift.
The players
Amy Acton
Amy Acton is a Democrat who grew up in Youngstown and graduated from Liberty High School.
Vivek Ramaswamy
Vivek Ramaswamy is a Republican candidate who ran for Ohio governor in 2026.
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown is a former U.S. senator from Ohio who was projected to win the 2026 Senate race.
Jon Husted
Jon Husted is a Republican who ran against Sherrod Brown in the 2026 Ohio Senate race.
The details
Acton won the majority across Ohio, and the results were broken down by county in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. Columbiana County stayed with Ramaswamy and McColley, who received 62.05% there compared with 33.27% for Acton and Pepper.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Midterm election results were tallied and Acton and Brown were projected winners.
2024: Bernie Moreno defeated Sherrod Brown in the Senate race.
2022: Mahoning and Trumbull counties voted Republican for Mike DeWine.
Political Context
Acton is the first Democratic governor of Ohio since Ted Strickland, who served from 2007 to 2011, and her win ends the Republican hold on the office that followed. The Mahoning and Trumbull results continue a pattern in which those counties voted Republican for Mike DeWine in 2022 before shifting in this election.
Ohio voters now have a Democratic governor and a Democratic senator projected to take office, changing the balance of statewide leadership. Residents in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties saw notably different results, which may shape local political engagement going forward.
The takeaway
The Ohio results show that county-level shifts can change statewide outcomes, and readers in the state should watch how these trends develop in future races. Voters who want to track the results can compare county totals as they are certified.
Further reading
For more background on how the state's voting patterns have developed, see Elections coverage for Ohio.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WKBN.
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