Ohio voters will see several statewide races on the May 5 primary ballot in addition to congressional, state House and Senate seats, county and local races and issues.
Here’s a look at what’s on the ballot statewide:
Ohio governor Republican primary
Biotech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, who ran for president briefly in 2024, has been the Republican front-runner for Ohio governor since landing the early endorsements of President Donald Trump and the Ohio Republican Party.
Those endorsements cleared his path to the nomination as Attorney General Dave Yost dropped out of the race and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a prominent former head football coach at Ohio State University, decided not to run.
But, Ramaswamy does have a challenger on the May 5 ballot. Casey Putsch, a northwest Ohio business owner, car enthusiast and watchmaker is taking on the GOP front-runner.
The winner will face former Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton, who has no Democratic primary opponent, and Libertarian Donald Kissick in November.
Gov. Mike DeWine is term-limited and cannot run again.
Read more on the race and the candidates
U.S. Senate Democratic primary
Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is looking for a way back to the U.S. Senate, after Sen. Bernie Moreno ousted Brown from his long-held Senate seat in 2024.
Political newcomer and former IT consultant Ronald Kincaid will face off against Brown in the Democratic primary.
The winner will go on to face U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, a Republican, in the November general election. DeWine appointed Husted to Vice President JD Vance’s vacant senate seat in January 2025. Libertarian William Redpath will also be on the ballot this fall.
Republicans currently have a 53-47 majority in the Senate, so Ohio’s race could factor into which party has control.
The Cook Political Report recently shifted Ohio’s Senate race from leaning Republican to a toss-up.
Ohio Attorney General Democratic primary
For the first time in eight years, Ohioans will pick a new attorney general to act as the state’s top law enforcement officer and head of the largest public interest law firm in the state.
Republicans are expected to nominate Keith Faber, who has been state auditor since 2019. In the May primary, Democrats will pick either former state representative Elliot Forhan or retired Vorys partner John Kulewicz to be the party nominee for attorney general.
Attorney General Dave Yost cannot run for reelection due to term limits.
Read more on the race and the candidates here.
Ohio Treasurer Republican primary
The Republican primary for Ohio treasurer is loaded with high-profile endorsements from Vice President JD Vance and gubernatorial hopeful Ramaswamy.
Vance and U.S. Sen. Moreno are backing former state Rep. Jay Edwards. Ramaswamy and top Ohio lawmakers have endorsed state Sen. Kristina Roegner. Neither candidate has run statewide before.
Learn more about the GOP Ohio treasurer candidates here.
Ohio Secretary of State Democratic and Republican primaries
Republicans and Democrats have primaries to choose Ohio’s next top elections official.
Current Secretary of State Frank LaRose is term-limited after eight years in office and running for state auditor.
Two Republicans and two Democrats are running in the May primary for the job.
On the Republican side, Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague is competing against Marcell Strbich, a retired Air Force intelligence officer. Democrats will choose between Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, and Cincinnati physician Bryan Hambley.
The secretary of state oversees Ohio elections and the 88 county boards of elections that administer them. Other duties include reviewing proposed ballot issues, handling business records and serving on the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
The winners will face off with Libertarian candidate Tom Pruss in the Nov. 3 general election.
Learn more about Ohio’s Secretary of State candidates here.
Ohio Supreme Court Republican primary
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner is the only Democrat currently holding statewide elected office. And four Republicans are vying to be the one to try to take her out in the November general election.
The Republican primary is crowded: Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge Andrew King, Ninth District Court of Appeals Judge Jill Flagg Lanzinger, Second District Court of Appeals Judge Ron Lewis and former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell are running in the May primary.
The Ohio Republican Party did not endorse in the race.
Learn more about the Republican candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court here.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: What’s on the Ohio ballot for the May 5 primary election?
Reporting by Jessie Balmert, Laura A. Bischoff, Haley BeMiller and Nathan Hart, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
