Acton flipped Ohio’s governor’s office to the Democrats, defeating Vivek Ramaswamy — and became the first woman elected governor of Ohio.
Amy Acton, 60, became a household name in Ohio during the worst months of the COVID-19 pandemic. A physician and public-health researcher from Youngstown, she directed the Ohio Department of Health from 2019 to 2020 and stood beside Gov. Mike DeWine at daily briefings that drew a devoted following — and, later, protests at her home. She resigned in 2020 and returned to research and teaching.
Her campaign leaned on that history: a doctor who told hard truths in a crisis, now running the state. Voters rewarded it with the biggest Democratic win in Ohio in years.
She takes office with Ohio still leaning Republican in most statewide races. Watch whether she can govern as the unifying figure she campaigned as — and how Columbus and Washington collide over health policy again.
Fast facts
- Age: 60
- Party: Democratic
- Office: Governor of Ohio
- State: Ohio
- Previous job: Director of the Ohio Department of Health (2019–2020)
- Called by AP: 10:49 p.m. ET, Nov. 3
Part of the Zark News Election 2026 winners profile series. Winners are listed as called by the Associated Press.
