Statewide candidates certified

FINDLAY — Amy Acton was the lone Democratic gubernatorial candidate certified to the ballot while Vivek Ramaswamy will face two opponents during the May 5 Republican primary for the party's nomination for the position.The Ohio Secretary of State's Office provided a list of candidates certified to the ballot for the statewide races after the state's 88 county boards of elections reviewed nominating petitions.Ramaswamy, who has picked up several major endorsements including the Ohio Republican Party and President Donald Trump, will face Casey Putsch and Heather Hill in the GOP primary.Libertarian Don Kissick also qualified for the ballot.To qualify, Democratic and Republican candidates need at least 1,000 valid signatures while Libertarians need at least 500 valid signatures on nominating petitions.The only candidate who filed nominating petitions by the Feb. 4 filing deadline and failed to be certified was Republican Renea Turner, who sought to run for governor.U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, who was appointed January 2025 to an unexpired term, was the lone Republican to qualify.On the Democratic side, Sherrod Brown, a former 18-year senator who lost reelection in 2024, will face Ron Kincaid in that party's primary.Libertarians Jeffrey M. Kanter and William B. Redpath will face each other in the party's May 5 primary with the winner moving to the Nov. 3 general election.Keith Faber, the current state auditor, is the lone Republican for attorney general. There will be a Democratic primary between John J. Kulewicz, an Upper Arlington City Council member, and Elliot Forhan, a former state representative.The Republican primary for secretary of state will be between state Treasurer Robert Sprague and Marcell Strbich, a retired Air Force intelligence officer.The Democratic primary for the position will have state Rep. Allison Russo face Bryan Hambley, a Warren County doctor.Libertarian Tom Pruss was certified as a candidate for secretary of state.Only one Republican — Secretary of State Frank LaRose — and one Democrat — Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell — filed to run for state auditor and were certified.For state treasurer, two Republicans were certified. They are state Sen. Kristina Roegner and Jay Edwards, a former state representative. Seth Walsh, a Cincinnati city councilman, is the only Democrat in the treasurer's race.There are two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court on the ballot.Jennifer Brunner, the only statewide-elected Democrat, isn't facing opposition in her political party's primary.Brunner was elected in 2020 before political party affiliation was included on the general election ballot for Supreme Court justices. Party affiliation for justices in general elections began in 2022. Brunner lost the chief justice race in 2022 to Republican Sharon L. Kennedy.Four Republicans were certified for Brunner's seat. Three are appeals court judges — Jill Lanzinger, Ron Lewis and Andrew King — with a fourth, Colleen O'Donnell, being a former Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge.In the other Supreme Court race, incumbent Dan Hawkins, who won the 2024 election for an unexpired term, is the lone Republican. In the general election, Hawkins will face Democrat Marilyn Zayas, a court of appeals judge who lost a 2022 Supreme Court election.May 4, the day before the primary, is the deadline for candidates to file as independents. To qualify for the ballot as an independent candidate for a statewide seat, at least 5,000 valid signatures are needed on nominating petitions.