2026 Ohio gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2026 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election is scheduled to take place on November 3, 2026, to elect the governor of Ohio. Incumbent Republican Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited and ineligible to seek a third consecutive term.

2026 Ohio gubernatorial election

← 2022 November 3, 2026 2030 →

Party Republican Democratic

Incumbent Governor Mike DeWine Republican

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Jeremiah Workman, veterans affairs claims assistant, Iraq War veteran, and candidate for lieutenant governor in 2022^[1]

Publicly expressed interest

• Jon Husted, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio (2019–present)^[2]
• Dave Yost, Ohio Attorney General (2019–present) and former Ohio State Auditor (2011–2019)^[3]

Withdrawn

• Matt Mayer, former director of The Buckeye Institute^[4][5]

Declined

• Vivek Ramaswamy, entrepreneur and candidate for president in 2024^[6]

References

1. Pelzer, Jeremy (March 28, 2023). "Jeremiah Workman, Joe Blystone's 2022 running mate, launches 2026 run for governor". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
2. BeMiller, Haley (February 22, 2023). "Lt. Gov. Jon Husted lays groundwork for potential Ohio governor run in 2026". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
3. Tobias, Andrew; Pelzer, Jeremy (July 26, 2023). "Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost gets ready to run for governor". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
4. Bischoff, Laura (January 27, 2023). "Republican think tank leader Matt Mayer says he's running for Ohio governor in 2026". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
5. Pelzer, Jeremy (September 25, 2023). "Ohio Republican bows out of 2026 governor's race". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
6. Gomez, Henry J. (October 4, 2023). "Vivek Ramaswamy's inroads in Ohio politics set the stage for a possible 'Plan B'". NBC News. Retrieved October 10, 2023.