After months of consideration, former congressman Tim Ryan said he will not run in the Democratic primary against former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton.
Ryan's spokesman Dennis Willard had confirmed a few weeks ago the former congressman was talking to key Democrats and getting things in place should he decide to run. Ryan had said he would announce his plans at the end of summer, then delayed that till October.
Ryan's decision means there likely won't be a costly Democratic primary. Acton has been campaigning throughout Ohio since the beginning of this year.
“No matter what corner of the state I’m in, it’s clear Ohioans are struggling with rising costs. Whether it’s healthcare, childcare, gas, or groceries, there’s too much money going out and not enough coming in," Acton said in an interview.
She has now shifted her focus to her likely Republican opponent, business entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.
"While the special interests that run our state are doing just fine, they’ve made a mess for the rest of us, and I will not allow a billionaire Washington insider like Vivek Ramaswamy to take us down an even worse path. I’m running for governor because it’s time for a change," Acton said.
Ohio Republican Party Chair Alex Triantifilou wrote in a statement that Ramaswamy "has secured major labor endorsements, is raising record amounts of money, and has united Ohio around his bold vision for excellence.” Triantifilou said Ohioans now face a clear choice between Ramaswamy and Acton, who he and other Republicans have noted was at the helm of the state's health department at the height of the COVID pandemic when many businesses were ordered to close.
In a written statement, Connie Luck, spokesperson for the Ramaswamy campaign, said, "While the Democrats have spent months fighting to secure their shrinking base, Vivek has been talking to voters of all political persuasions to build an unprecedented coalition of support that includes conservative leaders and farmers to truckers and labor unions—and we’re just getting started."
As of this summer, Acton has raised $1.3 million for her campaign, which has said she's set multiple fundraising records for a Democratic challenger for governor, though Nan Whaley had brought in more than $1.5 million by the same point in 2022. Ramaswamy has raised $9.7 million raised so far in the election cycle.
Political scientists react to the news
One political expert said Ryan may have hurt his chances by waiting so long to make a decision.
“It’s possible that Tim Ryan squandered an opportunity to draw more support early in the race at a time when Amy Acton’s name recognition, or at least understanding of her as a political candidate, was less than it is now,” said Christopher Devine, associate professor of political science at the University of Dayton.
Brianna Mack, associate professor of Political Science at Ohio Wesleyan University, said Ryan was trying to position himself as a moderate who could appeal to disaffected voters who voted for President Trump. And she said that's a mistake right now because voters want someone who will take a strong stand and stick with it. Ryan's decision to step out means "a very long campaign" between Ramaswamy and Acton, Mack said, but that Acton presents an opportunity for Democrats.
"Democrats need to actually use this time to go back to the drawing board and try to recreate and strengthen their infrastructure as well as their pipeline," Mack said.
Mack said the Democrats need to do outreach to mobilize voters between now and November 2026.
The Democratic National Committee announced earlier this year that the party is making a record investment in Ohio ahead of the 2026 midterms, using those funds to organize party infrastructure across the state and hire staff, as well as paid programming to get the party's message out to voters.
