Here’s a look at the candidates competing to represent the Cleveland region in Washington, D.C. and the state legislature.
Ohio U.S. Senate Race
Republican incumbent Senator Jon Husted is campaigning for another term in the U.S. Senate against former Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown, who is attempting to return to Washington in this special election.
Husted was appointed by Governor Mike DeWine to serve the remainder of Vice President J.D. Vance’s term in the Senate and is now running for a full term. He has been focused on economic growth, ratepayer protection for consumers facing higher utility costs from data centers, and border security.
Brown served three terms in the Senate before losing reelection in 2024. His campaign is focused on healthcare access and lowering costs for families.
The race is highly competitive and could determine which party controls the Senate following November’s election.
OH-11 Congressional Race
Ohio’s 11th Congressional District sees incumbent Democratic Representative Shontel Brown seeking a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican candidate Mike Kirchner is challenging her for the seat.
Ohio is an important target for Democrats, who are attempting to take back control of the House from Republicans.
Brown has secured the endorsement of the Ohio Conference of Teamsters and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. She has focused her recent work on curbing the impacts of artificial intelligence on campaign advertisements.
Brown is a former Cuyahoga County councilwoman.
Kirchner, the Republican challenger, is from Highland Heights and is a retired financial advisor. His campaign has focused on protecting Social Security and promoting government transparency.
Ohio’s 11th Congressional District includes the entire city of Cleveland. It voted for Kamala Harris by 55 percentage points over Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Ohio House District 13
Ohio’s 13th House District covers part of Cleveland. Incumbent Democratic Representative Tristan Rader is campaigning for another term representing the region.
Rader has been vocal against the construction of data centers in the region. He also was part of a letter that asked the Ohio Department of Transportation to stop issuing permits for automatic license plate reading technology amid privacy concerns across the country.
Republican challenger Billy Fronimo is seeking the opportunity to flip the seat red.
Ohio House District 20
Covering downtown Cleveland and surrounding suburbs, Ohio’s 20th House District will showcase Democrat Eugene Miller and Republican Donna Walker-Brown competing for the seat.
Incumbent Terrance Upchurch will not be seeking reelection due to term limits.
Miller won his primary with the support of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party. His recent work includes being a substitute teacher, a small business owner, and a political consultant.
Donna Walker-Brown ran unopposed in her primary to represent the Cleveland region in the state legislature. She formerly challenged Upchurch in 2024, but lost after securing only 14.6% of the vote.
Ohio Senate District 23
Ohio’s 23rd Senate District covers both Ohio House District 13 and Ohio House District 20. It is an open seat with Democrat Nickie J. Antonio being term-limited and unable to run for reelection.
Democrat Bride Rose Sweeney and Republican Robert E. Dintaman are competing for the open seat.
Sweeney has represented western Cuyahoga County in the Ohio state House for several terms. She has focused her time in office on education funding and labor-related legislation.
Dintaman is a lawyer who is running for state Senate. According to his campaign, he is focused on tax reform, public safety, and the economy.
