Democratic Party Candidates for November 2026
A couple of overarching principles when deciding on your vote this year:
If you have concerns with any of President Trump’s policies, remember that the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate are dominated by Republicans, who have been giving Trump free reign. Vote for Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate and Jerrad Christian for U.S. Congress to put some checks in place.
There are similar issues with Ohio races. The Republicans currently hold a supermajority in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate — and all seats but one on the Ohio Supreme Court — so all blame should fall squarely on Republicans’ shoulders for current complaints relating to corruption, lack of safety net, and economic concerns. For this reason, we need to elect Democrats all the way down the ballot in Ohio. This is extra important this year: Look for the Ds on your ballot and vote in every race.
Listed below are our endorsed candidates for office, along with short snippets about them. If you click on the candidate’s name in each heading, you will be directed to their website for more information.
United States Senator: Sherrod Brown
To Sherrod Brown, politics is not about left and right; it’s about who you are fighting for – and Sherrod Brown has a proven history as a relentless fighter for the people of Ohio.
When Wall Street banks gambled away workers’ hard-earned pensions, Sherrod Brown led the charge to make sure over 100,000 Ohioans got the retirement they were owed.
When the drug companies jacked up prices, Brown successfully fought to cap the cost of insulin and reduce the price of other prescription drugs for Ohio seniors.
When millions of veterans returning from war who were exposed to highly toxic burn pits were being turned away by the VA as they suffered from severe illnesses like cancer and lung disease, Sherrod Brown worked with Republicans to get them the care they deserved.
And because of Sherrod Brown, over 2 million former teachers, bus drivers, police officers, firefighters, and other workers are now receiving their full Social Security payments that previously were withheld by the federal government.
Husted literally sold out Ohio to First Energy. He got millions while Ohioans got blackouts during a heat wave. Then Husted got appointed to a Senate seat for being a good boy! He spearheaded the data center tax breaks too. He has never worked for anyone but himself.
Governor and Lieutenant Governor: Amy Acton / David Pepper
Amy Acton grew up under tough circumstances in Youngstown, Ohio. She and her brother were frequent fliers in Children’s Services, and they had lived in over a dozen places by the time Amy was 12 years old. They even spent one Ohio winter living in a tent.
Acton credits public schools with saving her life. Teachers gave her the tools she needed to get accepted into medical school straight out of high school. She worked three jobs in college to fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor.
She doesn’t come from wealth or power. She comes from humble beginnings.
And she knows that her story isn’t unique. All across Ohio, working families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and put food on the table.
And that’s not because we don’t work hard – it’s because our Statehouse has looked away from the problems Ohioans face for far too long.
So when a private jet-flying billionaire like Vivek Ramaswamy attacks Ohioans as “lazy” and “mediocre,” goes after teachers, and calls Medicaid a “mistake” – Dr. Acton takes that personally.
Dr. Acton has lived the struggles that Ohioans know far too well. She is running for governor because we need leaders who understand what working folks are up against – not more of the same out-of-touch policies.
Attorney General: John J. Kulewicz
Ohio’s attorney general is responsible for representing the State of Ohio and its representatives in all legal matters, including state investigations, caring for victims of crime, and training Ohio’s police. Corruption, price gouging, and healthcare fraud have gone unaddressed across Ohio for far too long. We need an attorney general who isn’t biased in favor of moneyed interests to protect Ohioans.
John Kulewicz has been fighting in court on behalf of Ohioans for decades. He’s fought to protect Ohio healthcare on the floor of the U.S. Supreme Court. He is by far the most experienced candidate in the race, and the only candidate truly committed to fighting against corruption. He plans to work to protect us against violent crime, robocall scammers, and healthcare fraud.
Secretary of State: Allison Russo
Ohioans need a Secretary of State who will protect Ohio’s elections and the voting rights of our citizens.
Over the years that Republicans have dominated Ohio’s state legislature, Ohio has been gerrymandered to favor Republican candidates. The legislature has also made several attempts at laws that risk limiting voting rather than encouraging voting, including changes to mail-in voting. The current secretary of state has done the opposite of protecting us – He has purged voter rolls, introduced confusing ballot language, and given away our personal information to the Trump administration. These unacceptable actions threaten all voters.
Ohio deserves a Secretary of State who will support and protect every Ohioan’s voice, and banish partisan bias from Ohio’s elections. Allison Russo will refuse to bow to the interests intending to sway our elections and steal our right to be heard.
Auditor of State: Annette Blackwell
Ohioans everywhere agree that public money should be used responsibly, and that corruption should be eliminated. This is the job of our state auditor, and it’s why Annette Blackwell is taking her experience balancing budgets and fighting fraud from Maple Heights to all of Ohio.
Ohio for years has had one of the most corrupt legislatures in the country, as mismanagement of public funds has run rampant. Meanwhile, outcomes for Ohioans keep lowering.
As mayor of Maple Heights, Ohio, Annette Blackwell turned a city that was on the state’s financial watch list, to a city that won the State Auditor’s Most Prestigious award, and three consecutive years of Clean Audit awards. This is exactly the kind of transformation that Ohio needs.
Treasurer of State: Seth Walsh
We all want to be sure that our tax dollars are being spent responsibly by the state.
As a member of Cincinnati City Council, Seth Walsh championed millions of dollars in direct economic support to grow Cincinnati’s small businesses and neighborhoods.
His opponent, Jay Edwards, does not have an impressive track record. As Ohio House Finance Chair, Edwards championed a $3.2 million tax cut to the wealthy. He also included a savings cap on school districts that has hurt public schools and driven up property taxes.
Seth Walsh will put the public servants of Ohio first. That means no time spent on tax breaks for billionaires. Public funds will go to our teachers, doctors, and first responders.
Justice of the Supreme Court – Full Term Commencing 01/01/2027: Marilyn Zayas
Ohio Supreme Court justices are elected to stand up for all Ohioans, regardless of their political party.
This year, Judge Marilyn Zayas is running for Ohio Supreme Court justice against incumbent Dan Hawkins.
Zayas believes that the Ohio Supreme Court should be free from outside influence. Her judicial record has earned trust across political lines. In fact, in 2025, Ohio’s Chief Justice, a Republican, appointed Zayas three times in just 40 days to sit on the Supreme Court, a rare honor reflecting Zayas’ expertise and unbiased approach.
Justices should not be biased by political partisanship. Yet Zayas’ opponent, incumbent Dan Hawkins, ruled in favor of ending a ban on state judges and judicial candidates openly endorsing (or opposing) candidates for public office.
We need justices like Marilyn Zayas, who will follow the law, not a political agenda.
Justice of the Supreme Court – Full Term Commencing 01/02/2027: Jennifer Brunner
The Ohio Supreme Court decides matters relating to fair electoral maps, school funding, property taxes, and many other topics that directly affect us all. For such an important role, justices should have the very highest ethical and legal qualifications.
One of the two Ohio Supreme Court races this November pits incumbent Jennifer Brunner against Colleen O’Donnell.
Justice Brunner has served at all three levels of Ohio’s judiciary, and has served on the Ohio Supreme Court since 2021. Her judicial record emphasizes strict adherence to separation of powers and the rule of law.
Colleen O’Donnell’s qualifications are not nearly as impressive: She resigned her most recent judicial appointment in 2023 as a federal immigration judge in Laredo, Texas. Plus, O’Donnell exposes her partisanship on her website when she says she is running to “preserve a conservative majority on the Court.”
In November, vote for Jennifer Brunner’s qualifications, experience, and vision of justice: “fairness, equality and respect for all people.” Keep an independent voice on the bench.
Representative to the U.S. Congress, OH-12: Jerrad Christian
In a world where many politicians don’t care about the struggles of their constituents, we need a representative who understands our hardships.
Jerrad Christian knows the hardships of everyday Ohioans because he is an everyday Ohioan.
Christian grew up in poverty in southern Ohio, and joined the U.S. Navy to get out of his hometown and serve our country. After using his GI Bill funds to attend Ohio University, he eventually, through years of saving, settled down as a software engineer.
No politically connected family, no lofty inheritance, just hard work and determination.
Today, Jerrad is running for Congress to make sure all Ohioans benefit from our country’s policies, not just the wealthy few.
Jerrad is fighting to get money out of politics, so that big business doesn’t have a bigger voice than the people. His opponent, Troy Balderson, has gotten 57% of his donations from PACs representing corporate and foreign interests. Jerrad is not accepting donations from corporate PACs.
While 80% of Ohioans worry about healthcare costs, Balderson doesn’t have a clear answer. Jerrad Christian is committed to a vision of universal healthcare, a world in which Ohioans can get the medical service they need without being stopped short by a paywall.
State Senator (19th district): Scott Charland
Ohioans generally prefer balanced representation where there can be honest debate and decisions that both help people and prevent corruption.
Ohio’s state Senate races are especially critical this year because Republicans currently hold a supermajority, where they can override any veto by the governor. This means one political party effectively controls the politics of our state, with no checks and balances.
To change this dynamic, Democrats need to hold onto their current Senate seats and flip five additional Senate seats throughout Ohio. That is what is driving Scott Charland to run as the Democratic candidate for Ohio Senate District 19 (which includes Knox County).
Charland would help make the Ohio Senate a body for debate and deliberation, not a rubber stamp.
Charland would also fight for resources to help public school students and is committed to a ban on all new large data centers to protect Ohio’s natural resources from being exploited or destroyed.
State Representative (98th district – eastern Knox County): Scott Grund
Ohioans deserve representatives who fight for them — not for wasteful spending, not for big corporations, but for the everyday Americans who make up the majority of their constituency.
Scott Grund is running for Ohio House District 98, which includes the eastern half of Knox County. Grund is here to fight for all Ohioans.
Right now, Republicans control 65 seats in the Ohio House, which means they have a supermajority. With this supermajority, Republicans can force through any legislation, even past the governor’s veto. Grund is hoping to flip one of six seats needed to break the supermajority.
If elected, Grund would fight to end the school voucher program, which is abused and results in billions of tax dollars headed to private schools with no accountability as to how that money is spent. Grund wants to bring money back into Ohio public schools, so that we can have an education system to be proud of, and one that gives as much opportunity to our youths as possible.
Grund will protect Medicare and Medicaid to make sure each and every Ohioan can access proper healthcare resources. He will also advocate for mental and behavioral health funding, to care particularly for the elderly and our youngest Ohioans.
State Representative (District 61 – western Knox County): Vince McGrail
With hardworking Ohio families drowning in a sea of rising costs, we need elected officials who can find us solutions and make sincere progress.
Vince McGrail is running for Ohio House District 61, which includes the western half of Knox County.
McGrail’s background includes 12 years as the Executive Director of the Alzheimer’s Association in Central Ohio. He has dedicated himself to being the change his fellow Ohioans want to see.
McGrail will fight to bring state funds back to public schools, which have received a smaller portion of the state’s revenue in recent years. He’ll fight to make the voucher program more accountable, so funds aren’t syphoned off from our public school systems. Every kid in every school in this state deserves a chance to learn in the most supportive environment possible, and Vince will fight to make that happen.
McGrail will constantly support efforts to bring down homeownership costs so seniors can keep their homes after retirement.
Knox County Commissioner: Chuck Rogers
Whether through public service, volunteering, or just being a good neighbor, we all want to build a happier, healthier Knox County. That is why Chuck Rogers is running for a seat on the Knox County Board of Commissioners.
Many people cannot find housing they can afford in Knox County. Chuck Rogers, if elected as a County Commissioner, would fight for zoning that permits truly affordable housing. This lies in contrast with the current Knox County Commissioners, who have stonewalled the construction of affordable housing.
Rogers also advocates for an updated public transportation system, and for Knox County to keep its status as the only county in Ohio without a data center, protecting our natural resources.
For more information on Chuck Rogers, watch this video interview.