Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton announced Tuesday that she will run for Ohio governor in 2026.
“Today I filed to run for governor because I cannot turn my eyes away from Ohioans who struggle while self-serving politicians and special interests steer our state in the wrong direction,” she said in a statement. “It’s time to give power back to the people and our communities. It’s time for a change.”
Acton is running as a Democrat as Ohio has become increasingly Republican in recent years. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner is the only Democrat serving in Ohio. Acton first mentioned running for governor during the summer during the Democratic National Convention.
“I am a doctor, not a politician,” Acton said in her statement. “I solve problems by bringing people together, regardless of party, to find solutions. So, unlike most of our leaders, I know that the answer to moving our country forward is not to give politicians more power, but to give people more freedom.”
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited. On the Republican side Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost plans to run for governor. Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is also a potential GOP candidate. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has also expressed interest in running for governor, but he currently appears to be the leading candidate to fill J.D. Vance’s soon-to-be vacant U.S. Senate seat. DeWine has not yet announced his pick, a task he must complete before his Jan. 20 inauguration.
For Democrats Volthere is speculation about whether Ohio Minority Leader Allison Russo, a senior in Arlington, will also run for governor.
DeWine appointed Acton as ODH director in 2019, and she quickly became a household name in Ohio during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. She accompanied DeWine to his daily afternoon news conferences in spring 2020, donning a white lab coat, and helped translate elaborate medical terminology into plain English.
She she was met with a mixture of praise and criticism at the time, with protesters even showing up at her home in Bexley. Acton he resigned as ODH director in June 2020 – months after the first confirmed case of Covid-19 in Ohio.
After her time in DeWine’s government, she returned to work at the Columbus Foundation and helped found the HumanKindness Center.
“Throughout my career, I have listened to Ohioans… and developed a deep connection with people across the state,” Acton said in her statement. “People share with me their struggles and how hard they work to keep up with the cost of groceries, child care, health care and other expenses. They feel left behind and like no one cares.”
Acton grew up in Youngstown and at one point experienced homelessness.
“I remember what it was like to feel hungry, to worry about where I would sleep and how I would stay warm,” Acton said. “I felt invisible at times, and I know many Ohioans feel the same.”
She then earned her medical degree from the medical school formerly known as Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine and earned a master’s degree in public health from Ohio State University.
“I believe we can build an Ohio where our people can breathe a little bit — an Ohio where a zip code doesn’t determine success,” Acton said. “Ohio that empowers local communities, not politicians. An Ohio with good-paying jobs, safe neighborhoods and thriving businesses where people can raise their families, age with dignity and lead happy and healthy lives.”
Acton lives in Bexley with her husband Eric, who is a teacher and coach in Bexley City Schools. Together they have six children.
Follow the OCJ reporter Megan Henry in Bluesky.
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