Ohio Attorney Dave Yost officially announced his bid for the governor’s office in 2026, confirming a long-speculated rumor in Buckeye State political circles.
“After receiving a groundswell of support from voters across the state and much prayer and consultation, I am answering the call to duty,” Yost said in a release. “I will be faithful. I will not falter, and I will not fail.
“This is my heart, my home,” Yost added. “I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I'm thinking about them and our future.”
Yost, 68, an Ohio native, was elected Ohio’s 51st attorney general in 2018 and re-elected to the state’s top law enforcement post in 2022.
The Columbus Republican began his political career as Delaware County auditor and was later elected as the county’s prosecutor. He served as Ohio’s state auditor from 2011 until 2018.
“I’ve been in every county, every corner of this state,” The Columbus Dispatch quoted Yost as saying. “They all matter and I think it’s important for someone who wishes to lead to know Ohio at that kind of a deep granular level.”
As attorney general, Yost pursued state criminal charges against those tied to the $61 million FirstEnergy bribery scheme and pursued a civil lawsuit to recover money from the scandal. Following its 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, Yost sued Norfolk Southern.
Last April, Yost joined 18 other state attorneys general in opposing the Department of Justice’s National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center. They argued the federal program promoted the “aggressive enforcement” of “red flag” gun confiscation laws and undermined the Second Amendment and other rights in trying to decrease gun violence.
“I'm honored to serve as your America First Attorney General & support President Trump's agenda,” Yost said in a Thursday Facebook post. Despite trying to bolster his conservative bona fides as attorney general, Yost has not always been on the Trump train but would no doubt covet his endorsement.
“I’ve voted Republican all my life. But if Donald Trump wins the nomination of the Republican Party, I will break ranks with my party and will not support him,” Yost said in a February 2016 Facebook post.
“Every political candidate has flaws, because they are human,” Yost added. “Mr. Trump is not merely flawed -- his thirst for power at any cost makes him unfit for public trust. What would he not do with public power?”
Next year’s gubernatorial race is expected to be a high-profile affair. However, Gov. Mike DeWine gave the race a recent shakeup with his appointment of Republican Lt. Governor Jon Husted to fill Vice President J.D. Vance’s U.S. Senate seat; Husted was widely believed to be pondering a run for the governor’s office.
Dr. Amy Acton, the controversial former state health director during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, is running for the state’s top elected office as a Democrat. Despite her announcement, she has been slow to announce policy positions.
While Acton is the only officially declared Democrat running for governor, she will likely need to navigate a crowded Democratic primary to win her first elected office. The Democratic field could include Ohio House of Representatives Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, former Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan.
Conversely, Republicans could face an equally treacherous primary. Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Morgan County Republican Heather Hill are among the potential candidates who could enter the race.
However, the highest profile announcement would be that of Cincinnati native and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. He recently stepped away from the newly created U.S. Department of Government Efficiency and is widely expected to announce a run for governor of the Buckeye State.
The winner replaces DeWine, a Republican, who cannot seek reelection because of term limits.
