Democrat Amy Acton defeats Vivek Ramaswamy to win Ohio governor’s race

Democrat Amy Acton, 60, who led the state's health department during the COVID pandemic, has won Ohio's race for governor, defeating Republican Vivek Ramaswamy to become the first woman elected governor of Ohio and the first Democrat to win the office since Ted Strickland in 2006.

She will succeed term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine. The victory comes in a state that has shifted toward Republicans in recent years, with President Trump carrying Ohio by 11 points in 2024.

The campaign drew national attention after Ramaswamy's team aired an attack ad featuring Acton's estranged mother calling her a liar. The ad drew wide bipartisan condemnation, including from DeWine, and was pulled off the air about a week before the election, though Ramaswamy refused to apologize for it.

Trump said he supported the ad and traveled to Ohio to back Ramaswamy in person. Ramaswamy, 41, had outspent Acton, had Trump's endorsement, and had top strategists from Trump's and Vice President JD Vance's political teams advising him and an aligned super PAC.

Acton focused her campaign on affordability and her experience growing up poor, while Ramaswamy emphasized efficiency and tax cuts based on his business background. Neither candidate had held elected office before.

Ramaswamy, 41, had sought the Republican presidential nomination earlier in 2024, ending his bid after placing fourth in the Iowa caucuses.