Former Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, has decided against a run for governor, sparing Democrats a costly and combative primary in a state that has turned deep red in the Trump era.
“After careful consideration, much prayer and reflection, and after long conversations with my family, my closest friends and advisors, I’ve made the decision not to run for governor in 2026,” Ryan said in a statement shared with NBC News.
His announcement clears the Democratic primary field for physician Amy Acton, who became a household name in Ohio as the state’s health director during the early days of the Covid pandemic.
Acton is likely to face Vivek Ramaswamy, a Trump-endorsed billionaire who made his money in biotechnology and has consolidated Republican support around his bid. Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, is prohibited from seeking a third consecutive term.
Ryan had been wrestling with a relatively late entry to the race for months, having blown past a self-imposed September deadline to decide. Signs in recent weeks had pointed to an imminent launch, with Ryan reactivating old email lists and his advisers working behind the scenes to prepare for a campaign.
But Acton has locked down support from key Democratic leaders and activists, including former Gov. Dick Celeste, who served from 1983 until 1991 and is the last Democrat to win two terms as governor in Ohio.
The only other Democrat to serve as governor since then, Ted Strickland, has long been close with Ryan but said in an October interview with WWGH radio he was “very excited about [Acton’s] candidacy.” Strickland also said then that he didn’t think Ryan would run.
