The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom.)
Ohio’s 2026 U.S. Congressional races are starting to take shape, and with razor gaunt majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and a traditionally unfavorable cycle for the party in power, any competitive race this year could be significant.
Two Democratic challengers announced bids for Ohio congressional seats this month, while an influential Republican said she would try to unseat the longtime Democrat.
The party of the incumbent president almost always is losing seats in the midterm elections, and the Republican majority in the House of Representatives is already slim. Add President Donald Trump to the mix withering acceptanceand Democrats hope that seats that were once unwinnable are now on the line.
Last week, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report changed ratings for 18 House races: all in favor of the Democrats.
During one Ohio race, political newcomer Kristina Knickerbocker announced she would run as a Democrat in the Dayton-area 10th Congressional District, held by Republican Mike Turner.
A district was established slightly less competitive last year in a redraw by Ohio Republicans that Democrats agreed to. This led to further gerrymandering of the state’s congressional districts, but not as much as Republicans had threatened.
The Cook Political Report still rates the district as solidly Republican, but the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee believes that could change.
Knickerbocker, 34, is a nurse and Air Force veteran.
IN video when announcing its campaign, it focused on rising consumer costs, especially in health care.
“I see the real costs when the health care system fails my patients…” Knickerbocker said. “I see people losing their life savings because health care costs are too high. The system cares more about making money than keeping people healthy. We know it’s not working. Prices keep rising. Insurance premiums are skyrocketing. Even electric bills are skyrocketing. The economy is broken.”
Turner, 66, is a lawyer who served 12 terms in Congress as mayor of Dayton.
With customary foreign policy views on issues such as support for Ukraine and NATO, he served as chairman of the powerful House Intelligence Committee. But those views clashed with those of the incoming Trump administration, and Turner lost the chairmanship last year.
There was speculation that he might retire at the end of the year. But he is announced his candidacy for re-election last week, emphasizing his support for the massive Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
In doing so, he seemed to be alluding to last year saw massive, controversial cuts to the federal workforce prepared by a group whose leader was chosen by Trump as the richest man in the world.
“I think it’s time to make sure that we actually have the voice of strong, experienced leadership…,” Turner said. “Given everything that’s going on in Washington – especially given the vulnerabilities and threats we have – for our federal workforce and at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, it’s really important to be confident in the growth potential and opportunities we have in the federal budget….”
Trump campaigned in 2024 on promises to immediately fix inflation and alleviate other economic problems for Americans. But as the first year of his second term ends, many voters no longer seem to buy it.
According to analysts, the most important are the economy, unemployment and jobs Question them taken in December. Respondents said political extremism or threats to democracy were their second most pressing concern.
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Last week, another Democrat announced his candidacy for the 7th Congressional District in the Cleveland area. Brian Poindexter, a steelworker, union organizer and former Brook Park City councilman, also emphasized affordability in his advocacy. announcement.
“The way things are going, I don’t think working people like you and me will be able to stay in business much longer,” he said. “I mean, we’re working harder and harder, but we’re working less and less.”
Poindexter joins former Cuyahoga County Executive and Lakewood Mayor Ed Fitzgerald, attorney Michael Eisner and former Bay Village School Board President Scott Schultz in seeking the Democratic nomination.
The winner will face Republican Max Miller, a two-term incumbent.
The Policy Center rates the district as protected Republican, but says the 10th District is on the fringes of possible Democratic victories if a blue wave materializes in November.
When the Legislature redrew Ohio’s congressional districts last year, a ninth district turned Republican, the Policy Center reported. This means that Democratic Republican U.S. Marcy Kaptur, the longest-serving congresswoman in historyhe will probably fight the hardest fight of his career.
Last week, 28-year-old Madison Sheahan filed as a Republican to run against her. Sheahan steps down as deputy director of the U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in order to escape. In campaign videolast year under Trump played a gigantic role in the creation of ICE and mass deportations.
It is unclear whether this will assist her politically once the war breaks out fatal ICE shooting 37-year-old Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this month.
AND YouGuv Poll last week shows that a majority of Americans believe that ICE often uses unnecessary force and have a negative view of the agency. The enormous majority said the agency had fundamental problems it needed to address and that recruitment standards needed to be raised.
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