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Ohio Governor Race Heats Up Over Health Care and Education
· Confirmed
In Short: The race in Ohio is shaping up as a high-stakes showdown, with both candidates focusing on health care and education to appeal to voters.
The 2026 Ohio governor's race is heating up as Democrat Dr. Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy vie for votes, with the field narrowing after former Congressman Tim Ryan announced he will not run.
Acton is emphasizing affordability, public education, and health care in her campaign.
Both candidates are expected to make announcements regarding their lieutenant governor picks in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the gubernatorial debate centered on a range of issues, including the cost of living, taxes, education, and health care.
During the debate, incumbent Governor Tony Evers' challenger, Tim Michels, and Evers himself discussed Medicaid funding and the state's budget shortfall.
Michels cited federal funding for rural health care and said Wisconsin would receive additional money through the work of the state’s congressional delegation.
Evers, on the other hand, called for utilizing the state’s surplus to provide relief and make it more affordable for families.
Evers emphasized the need to lower costs, expand health care, and improve schools, while Michels took a more cautious approach.
In New Mexico, Democratic nominee Deb Haaland is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s social media posts about renaming the state, emphasizing the state’s unique identity and Democratic leadership’s commitment to health care and education.
Haaland’s GOP opponent, Gregg Hull, also rejected Trump’s suggestion.
The KFF Health News Minute highlighted various health care issues, including the impact of long-term medication use, Medicaid meal deliveries, and the federal government’s decision to pull funding for test strips that can help detect fentanyl.
Health plans are also pocketing their enrollees’ drug discounts, while many Affordable Care Act insurers want to raise rates by double digits next year.
What this adds
The 2026 Ohio governor's race is intensifying with both candidates focusing on health care and education, as previously reported by WarpBeat.
Background
The 2026 Ohio governor's race is shaping up as a high-stakes showdown between Democrat Dr. Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, with the field narrowing after former Congressman Tim Ryan announced he will not run.
What's confirmed
- The 2026 Ohio governor's race is heating up as Democrat Dr. Amy Acton and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy vie for votes, with the field narrowing after former Congressman Tim Ryan announced he will not run.
- Acton is emphasizing affordability, public education, and health care in her campaign.
- Both candidates are expected to make announcements regarding their lieutenant governor picks in the coming weeks.
- Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, the gubernatorial debate centered on a range of issues, including the cost of living, taxes, education, and health care.
- During the debate, incumbent Governor Tony Evers' challenger, Tim Michels, and Evers himself discussed Medicaid funding and the state's budget shortfall.
- Michels cited federal funding for rural health care and said Wisconsin would receive additional money through the work of the state’s congressional delegation.
- Evers, on the other hand, called for utilizing the state’s surplus to provide relief and make it more affordable for families.
- Evers emphasized the need to lower costs, expand health care, and improve schools, while Michels took a more cautious approach.
- In New Mexico, Democratic nominee Deb Haaland is pushing back against President Donald Trump’s social media posts about renaming the state, emphasizing the state’s unique identity and Democratic leadership’s commitment to health care and education.
- Haaland’s GOP opponent, Gregg Hull, also rejected Trump’s suggestion.
- The KFF Health News Minute highlighted various health care issues, including the impact of long-term medication use, Medicaid meal deliveries, and the federal government’s decision to pull funding for test strips that can help detect fentanyl.
- Health plans are also pocketing their enrollees’ drug discounts, while many Affordable Care Act insurers want to raise rates by double digits next year.
What's still developing
- “While the White House wastes time coloring on maps, Nuevo México is busy doing the work. 🌶️” Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the Democratic nominee for governor who is vying to succeed Lujan Grisham in November, wrote on X, “I will always stand up for what makes New Mexico, New Mexico” with a video of her at a campaign event.
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