ROUNDUP: Dr. Amy Acton Wins Democratic Nomination as OH GOV Emerges as “A More Competitive Race Than Expected”

ROUNDUP: Dr. Amy Acton Wins Democratic Nomination as OH GOV Emerges as "A More Competitive Race Than Expected"

With Ohio's race for governor officially set between Dr. Amy Acton and failed presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, independent political observers are noting that the battle for this open seat is shaping up as "a more competitive race than expected."

Dr. Acton has raised more money than any Democrat ever to run for governor in Ohio and has maintained an unwavering focus on making life more affordable. Meanwhile, Ramaswamy continues to face backlash for calling Medicare and Medicaid "mistakes," for his extreme plan to shutter public colleges and universities, and for pushing a tax scam that would send the sales tax soaring, which even Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said would be "absolutely devastating."

Here's what Ohioans are seeing and reading about Dr. Acton's growing momentum:

MS NOW:

"'Medicaid and Medicare are mistakes' when we have 11 rural hospitals on the verge of collapse and people going an hour to an hour and 15 minutes just to deliver a baby. We actually have babies being born roadside. [Ramaswamy] says things like 'People are struggling because they're lazy and mediocre and not working hard enough,' and that is absolutely not the Ohioans I know".

Signal Ohio:

• Acton's fundraising has improved over time, even exceeding Ramaswamy's in the first several months of 2026, Ramaswamy boosted his campaign with a $25 million personal check last month while his affiliated super political action committee, which can raise and spend unlimited money, has amassed $23 million more.

• Acton's improved fundraising has coincided with Democrats coming to believe they actually can win the governor's race in Ohio. Doing so would require them to buck history - Republicans have occupied the governor's mansion for all but four years since 1991.

Ohio Capital Journal:

• Acton is breaking Democratic fundraising records in Ohio; according to pre-primary reports her campaign has cleared $10 million.

• Acton, who didn't have a primary challenger, described herself as a "scrappy kid from Youngstown" in a speech to supporters Tuesday night. She drew comparisons between her own struggles as a child facing homelessness and the challenges Ohioans today face in making ends meet.

• "I am running for governor because people in this state are struggling," Acton said. "They are doing everything right. They're working harder than they ever have, but there is no more breathing room. They're struggling with the cost of everyday life, and I refuse to look the other way."

• And Acton needled her opponent for criss-crossing the state in a private jet.

• "When you are looking at a state from 30,000 feet, my opponent cannot possibly see the struggles and the stories that I'm hearing on the road," Acton said. "Vivek Ramaswamy isn't just out of touch. He is out for himself. That is what is happening here."

NBC News:

• Polls suggest a potentially close race between Acton and Ramaswamy in a state that has not elected a Democrat as governor in 20 years.

• She emphasizes that she grew up poor in Youngstown and lived a difficult childhood marked at times by hunger and homelessness. Acton does not have Ramaswamy's direct access to cash, though both raised about $5 million from donors in the first campaign finance reporting period of 2026.

Spectrum News:

• Democratic candidate Amy Acton and running mate David Pepper are one step closer to Ohio's governor and lieutenant governor's race this fall.

• Acton served alongside Republican Gov. Mike DeWine for months during his daily coronavirus briefings. She said people would stop her in the grocery store or at a restaurant to share their struggles, and she doesn't want to look away.

• She recently announced an affordability plan ahead of the election which aims to lower healthcare costs, reduce energy bills and give tax breaks to working families.

WSYX (Columbus):

• "I am running for governor because people in this state are struggling," Acton said. "It shouldn't be this hard."

• She said her focus moving ahead to November's General Election is on supporting families with a working families tax cut, addressing the affordability of housing, healthcare, and more, along with taking on political corruption.

• "When bad actors and special interests keep taking the state backward on every single measure, it is time for change," Acton said.

The Hill:

• …observers have pointed to Ramaswamy's lack of elected experience and his provocative approach to campaigning as a potential drag on his bid - giving Acton, a former Ohio health director who worked with DeWine during the COVID-19 pandemic, room for a more competitive race than expected.

• In a DDHQ polling average of the race, Ramaswamy was ahead by just two points before the primary, after Acton managed to take the lead for part of April.

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