Will Ohio Gubernatorial Race Include This Dem?

Former Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is reportedly passing on a chance to run for governor in order to run again for the U.S. Senate after losing last November to Republican Bernie Moreno. With Brown opting for the Senate chamber over the governor’s mansion, other Democrats may take an interest in next year’s gubernatorial race. One of those Democrats could be former Rep. Tim Ryan.

Ryan represented Ohio’s 13th Congressional District until 2023. He lost the 2022 U.S. Senate race to now Vice President JD Vance.

Comments from Ryan spokesperson Dennis Willard have been circulating over social media and local news outlets, including 10TV. “Sherrod Brown’s decision to run for the US Senate has renewed and heightened Tim Ryan’s interest in running for governor to further serve the people of Ohio,” Willard said. The Daily Signal reached out to Willard for further comment.

During an interview with WKYC in June, Ryan spoke to the possibility of running for governor.

“I think I’m still processing. I’m not really in any super big hurry to make a decision. I think that I could do a really good job. I think I understand Ohio better than almost anybody in the state, as far as the different areas and how to do economic development,” he said when asked about a run.

“So, that’s intriguing to me—to jump back in, but really my family life has changed in the last three years for the better. I’m coaching my kid in football and basketball. I’ve got way more time with my wife. We’ve traveled a little bit. I don’t miss anything with the family (now), where the previous 10 years I missed 75% of things and I love nothing more than my family,” Ryan explained. “So that’s the biggest thing, because having done this for almost 25 years, you know what you have to give up. You know what the sacrifices are, and knowing that, I think, makes me really want to think about it a lot before I would pull the trigger, and obviously the family would be involved in that decision, too.”

The former congressman did speak out against businessman Vivek Ramaswamy over X when the Republican launched his campaign in February.

Ramaswamy looks to have cleared the field for the Republican nomination. However, if Ryan runs, he would have to face Dr. Amy Acton in a Democratic primary.

In a statement for The Daily Signal, Acton’s campaign manager, Philip Stein, focused on running against Ramaswamy.

“Whether it’s record-setting fundraising, standing room only crowds at events, or numerous polls showing a toss-up race, it’s clear Ohio voters are fired up about Amy Acton and ready to move on from corporate billionaires like Vivek Ramaswamy, who will continue the same failed policies that have left so many Ohioans struggling,” Stein said.

Should Acton face Ryan in a primary, 314 Action highlighted she’s in a good place, with an April poll showing her with a 52-38 percent lead against the former congressman. A memo released on Tuesday also shows Acton performing better against Ramaswamy than Ryan would.

Internal polling from July via Impact Research conducted July 24-July 28 with 800 likely general election voters and a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5% shows Ramaswamy leading Acton by 47-46%, with 7% undecided.

Acton set fundraising records for a Democrat candidate, while Ramaswamy’s own fundraising numbers have also set records and made headlines. Last month, the campaign announced it had raised $9.7 million since Ramaswamy declared in February.

A source with knowledge of the Ramaswamy campaign’s thinking spoke to The Daily Signal about the state of the race. “I think that who Vivek faces, because he’s put together such a strong infrastructure, and he’s got so many new ideas, he’s not worried about it from that standpoint,” the source said, also offering how Ramaswamy “would rather face someone like Tim Ryan,” given that there’s a “proven playbook on how to beat [Ryan].”

“When there’s already someone so well known, there’s proven messages that work against them,” the source also said.

Cook Political Report and Crystal Ball both consider the gubernatorial race to be “Likely Republican.”

The post Will Ohio Gubernatorial Race Include This Dem? appeared first on The Daily Signal.