CLEVELAND, Ohio - Dr. Amy Acton, who comforted Ohioans through the early days of the COVID pandemic, is running for governor as a Democrat. We’re talking about the 2026 race on Today in Ohio. Listen online here.

Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton has entered the 2026 Ohio governor's race. Acton, a Democrat, is mostly known for her work during the COVID-19 pandemic when she gave daily coronavirus briefings alongside Governor Mike DeWine.

Former Ohio health director Amy Acton is running for governor in 2026. Acton is a physician and public health expert who became a household name among Ohioans as she stood alongside Republican Gov.

Amy Acton, the former state health director who led Ohio's initial COVID-19 response, has announced a campaign for governor, per AP and other reports. Why it matters: The Democrat hopes to leverage her pandemic popularity and name recognition to flip the governor's seat in 2026 after four terms of Republican control.

Acton, who has been hinting at such a run since last summer, is the first Ohio Democrat to launch a 2026 gubernatorial campaign.

Former Ohio Health Department Director Dr. Amy Acton announced on Tuesday that she is running for Ohio governor in 2026. “Today, I filed papers to run for Governor because I refuse to look away from Ohioans who are struggling while self-serving politicians and special interests take our state in the wrong direction,

Amy Acton, the first woman to serve as director of the Ohio Department of Health who led the state’s pandemic efforts in 2020, will run for the highest executive office.

Dr. Amy Acton, a familiar face to many during the COVID-19 pandemic, has filed paperwork to run for governor of Ohio as a Democrat in 2026, The Associated Press reports. She is the first Democrat to launch such a campaign.

Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, who gained notoriety during the COVID pandemic, is running for governor in 2026.