City of Sandusky

Vivek Ramaswamy, originally from Cincinnati, earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and a law degree from Yale Law School. He pursued a career in business, starting as a hedge fund analyst on Wall Street and later founding Roivant, a New York-based biotech firm that develops drugs by acquiring rights to pharmaceutical products other companies had shelved. In 2015, he led Roivant’s Axovant Sciences through what was then the largest biotech IPO in history. Ramaswamy returned to Ohio to start an investment firm, Strive, before stepping down in 2023 to run for President. He lives in Upper Arlington with his wife, Apoorva, and their 3 children.

His running mate, Robert (Rob) McColley, grew up in Napoleon, Ohio, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and a law degree from the University of Toledo. He began his career at the Community Improvement Corporation of Henry County, where he oversaw local economic development efforts. First elected to the Ohio House in 2014, McColley later served in Senate leadership and was unanimously elected President of the Ohio Senate in January 2025. He lives in Napoleon with his wife, Denise, and their three children.

Dr. Amy Acton grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, and she earned a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University, a medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), and a Master’s in Public Health from The Ohio State University. After residencies in pediatrics and preventive medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Nationwide Children’s Hospital, she served as the Director of Project L.O.V.E. in Columbus and as a faculty member at Ohio State University. In 2019, Governor Mike DeWine appointed her Director of the Ohio Department of Health, where she led the state's early COVID-19 response and helped negotiate an opioid settlement. She later co-founded the Center for Human Kindness and helped launch Rapid 5, a regional parks and waterways initiative. Acton lives in Bexley with her husband, Eric, a public school teacher. The couple has six children. 

Her running mate, David Pepper, a Cincinnati native, earned a bachelor’s degree and a law degree from Yale University. He began his career as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and later worked in private practice, while teaching election and voting rights law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He served on the Cincinnati City Council and as a Hamilton County Commissioner, and later chaired the Ohio Democratic Party. Pepper is the author of several books. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Alana, and their two sons. 

Don Kissick earned a degree from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan, and completed military education at the U.S. Navy Fire Controlman "A" and "C" Schools in Illinois, later moving to Northwestern Ohio. Kissick served six years in the U.S. Navy, including two deployments to the Middle East during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and worked as a production associate and auto worker at the Honda of America Manufacturing engine assembly plant in Anna, Ohio, and currently works as a television Master Control Operator in Lima. He served as the Allen County Libertarian Party and Central Committee Chair, and has previously run for the U.S. House of Representatives, Allen County Commissioner, and U.S. Senate. He lives in Ottawa with his wife, Sarah, and their two children. 

His running mate, James Mills, has a Master’s of Business Administration and is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor in Warren, Ohio. Mills is a small business owner and CEO of Ironvest Financial Partners, a benefits administration firm.  He has served in leadership within the Libertarian Party of Ohio and is new to elected politics.

John Kulewicz grew up in Columbus, Ohio, earning a B.A. in American history from The Ohio State University and a J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. Kulewicz spent 44 years as a member of the Columbus law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease. He recently published a book on leadership, law, and public service based on his experience. He was first elected to Upper Arlington City Council in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, a position he still holds. Outside of work, he is a long-distance swimmer and certified lifeguard. He lives in Upper Arlington with his wife, Mary, and their two children, Adam and Abigail.

Keith Faber, originally from Missouri, earned his undergraduate degree in public administration and policy from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, and his law degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. After working in the private sector, he opened his own law firm, Faber and Associates LLC, specializing in civil litigation and mediation. He served in the Ohio legislature for 18 years, including as Senate President. In 2018, Faber was elected Ohio's Auditor of State, a position he currently holds. He lives in Celina, Ohio, with his wife, Andrea, and their two children.

Annette Blackwell was born in Selma, Alabama, and came to Ohio as a young child. She earned her undergraduate degree in public relations and corporate communications at Ursuline College. She held roles at KeyBank and University Hospitals before serving 16 years as a commercial property tax analyst at global tax firms Deloitte and Ryan. Blackwell has served as Mayor of Maple Heights since 2016. She lives in Maple Heights with her husband, Alonzo, a manager in the health information field. The couple has 3 adult children.

Frank LaRose grew up in Akron, Ohio, enlisting in the United States Army in the 101st Airborne Division and later serving as a U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret, including a deployment to Iraq, where he earned a Bronze Star. Following military service, LaRose earned a bachelor’s degree in Consumer Affairs from the Ohio State University and worked in marketing and project management for his family’s beverage distribution firm and as part-time Economic Development Director for the City of Brecksville, before entering public office in 2011. After two terms in the Ohio Senate, LaRose was elected Ohio Secretary of State in 2018 and 2022. He lives in Upper Arlington with his wife, Lauren, and their three young daughters – Hadley, Ellie, and Lainey.

Allison Russo, originally from Mississippi, holds a Doctor of Public Health from George Washington University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She later spent more than 20 years working in health care policy, advising federal agencies, decision-makers, and health systems working on mental health, early childhood, aging, and disability issues. Russo has served in the state legislature since 2019, including as the chamber's Minority Leader. She currently works as a senior director for a small business. Russo founded the mentoring program Girls Who Lead and is active with the United Way of Central Ohio's Women's Leadership Council. She lives in Upper Arlington with her husband, a combat veteran, and their three children.

Robert Sprague was born and raised in Findlay, Ohio. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Duke University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Sprague served as a project lead at Ernst & Young in Atlanta, Georgia, before forming his own consulting firm. He returned to Ohio and served in his hometown of Findlay as city auditor and treasurer, later serving in the state legislature as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. In 2018, Sprague was elected to the role of State Treasurer, a role he continues to hold today. He lives in Findlay, Ohio, with his wife, Amanda, and their five children. 

Tom Pruss was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. He entered the printing industry in 1985 and has owned and operated NorthCoast Print Mail Marketing since 2017. Pruss is active in Toledo's Polish-American community, serving as Vice President of the Northwest Ohio Polish Cultural Center and previously as President of the Polish American Community of Toledo. He has previously run for both the Toledo School Board and the Lucas County Clerk of Courts. Pruss is married to his wife, Alicia, and the couple has three children: Jillian, Joe, and Jamison.

No institutional endorsements were identified in public campaign materials at the time of this publication.

Jay Edwards was raised in Nelsonville, Ohio, earning a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from nearby Ohio University. He worked in medical sales and real estate before running for office in 2016. Edwards served in the state legislature as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2017 until 2025. In that role, he served as the House Finance Committee Chair and as Majority Whip. Edwards is a licensed realtor and property investor and lives in Nelsonville with his partner, Jayde, and their three children.

Seth Walsh grew up in St. Joseph, Michigan, and moved to Cincinnati in 2009 to study political science at Xavier University, where he served as student body president. He went on to found the Sedamsville Community Development Corporation and later led the College Hill Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation. He is currently in his fourth year on Cincinnati City Council, where he serves on the Budget and Finance, Equitable Growth and Housing, and Climate, Environment and Infrastructure committees, and on the Cincinnati Retirement System Board of Trustees. He founded the Cincy Soccer League and lives in downtown Cincinnati with his two dogs, Calvin and Rosie.

Colleen O’Donnell grew up in Seneca County, in Northwest Ohio. She earned her undergraduate degree in political science from Miami University and her J.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Early in her legal career, she clerked in federal court and served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Section. She also worked at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio and represented manufacturers and business clients in private practice at the law firm of Carpenter, Lipps & Leland LLP. She went on to serve nearly a decade as a judge on the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, before most recently serving as a U.S. Immigration Judge in Laredo, Texas. She currently lives in the Columbus area. 

Jennifer Brunner is from Springfield, Ohio. She earned degrees in sociology and gerontology from Miami University of Ohio and a J.D. from Capital University. As an attorney, she worked in private practice after starting her own law firm. Brunner went on to serve as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge, where she founded the county's adult felony drug court and later served on Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals. She served as Ohio's first female Secretary of State and later won election to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2020, the seat she currently holds. Brunner and her husband, Rick, split their time between homes in Powell and rural Columbiana County. The couple have three children and six grandchildren and have been foster parents to three children.

Daniel Hawkins grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University and a law degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Hawkins began his legal career as an assistant prosecuting attorney at the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, spending 13 years as a trial prosecutor, including as Director of the office's Special Victims Unit, which specializes in crimes of violence against women and children. Hawkins was later appointed to fill a vacancy on the Environmental Division of the Franklin County Municipal Court and served on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, before his election to the Ohio Supreme Court in November 2024. Hawkins lives in Westerville with his wife and 3 children.

Marilyn Zayas grew up in East Harlem, New York City, and earned a Bachelor’s in computer science from City College of the City University of New York. Following college, she moved to Ohio and began her career as an IT manager at Procter & Gamble. Zayas later earned her law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. As an attorney, she practiced in both the private and public sectors before building her own firm. Zayas has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati and was elected to Ohio's First District Court of Appeals, where she currently serves. She lives in Cincinnati with her two adopted rescue dogs, Thor and Sparkle Lou, and has three adult children.

Jon Husted was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and raised in Montpelier, Ohio, after he was adopted from foster care. Husted earned a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in communications from the University of Dayton. He began his career as the Vice President for Economic Development at the Dayton Chamber of Commerce until 2001. Husted then entered public service, elected as a State Representative in the Ohio House for four terms, including serving as the Ohio House Speaker. He went on to serve in the Ohio Senate and as Ohio Secretary of State. Husted then served as Ohio Lieutenant Governor under Governor Mike DeWine until he was appointed in 2025 to fill a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate, where he currently serves. Husted lives in Upper Arlington with his wife, Tina, a realtor, and the couple has a blended family which includes three children.

• Ohio Right to Life PAC
• National Border Patrol Council
• International


Union of Operating Engineers, Local 66

• International


Union of Operating Engineers, Local 18

• Northwest Ohio Building & Construction Trades Council
• Ohio Cattlemen’s Association
• International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
• Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council
• Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio
• Buckeye Firearms Association PAC
• National Federation of Independent Business - Ohio (NFIB Ohio)

Sherrod Brown grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies from Yale University and a Master's in Education and a Master’s in Public Administration from The Ohio State University. He began his career in public service at 22, serving four terms in the Ohio state legislature as a State Representative. Brown then served two terms as the Ohio Secretary of State before he was elected to serve in Congress as a U.S. House Representative, and ultimately to the U.S. Senate, where he served three terms, serving as Chair of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee. Brown is married to Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author, and the couple has a blended family that includes three daughters, a son, eight grandchildren, and their rescue dogs, Franklin and Walter.

Bill Redpath grew up in Findlay, Ohio, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science from Indiana University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Redpath began his career in accounting and financial roles at Arthur Andersen & Co. in Cincinnati, WISH-TV in Indianapolis, and ABC and NBC in New York, before spending 38 years in business valuation, specializing in media and telecommunications, at BIA Advisory Services in Washington and Summit Ridge Group in Chicago. He holds an active Certified Public Accountant license in Ohio and Illinois and is a retired Chartered Financial Analyst and Accredited Senior Appraiser in Business Valuation. Redpath has run for public office nine times as a Libertarian, including a run for US Senate in Illinois in 2022, and served on the Libertarian National Committee, including as its Chair. Redpath currently resides in Perrysburg.

Greg Levy grew up in Akron, where he was involved in his father’s church, performing music and founding the Paul Robeson Revolutionary Choir. He served in the military and today works as a mover. Levy lives in Akron with his wife and child.

Derek Merrin was born in Smithtown, New York, and moved to Waterville, Ohio, with his family as a teenager. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toledo and a Master of Public Administration from Bowling Green State University. At age 19, he became a member of Waterville City Council, and two years later, at 21, he was elected Mayor of Waterville, serving from 2008 to 2011. Merrin went on to serve eight years as a state representative from Lucas County, becoming the elected leader of the Ohio House Republican Caucus. He is also a real estate investor and currently lives in Monclova Township, Ohio.

Marcy Kaptur was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, earning a Bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin and a Master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan. Kaptur began her public career as an urban policy adviser to President Carter, where she and her colleagues crafted housing and urban development legislation. In 1982, while pursuing a Ph.D. at MIT, local Democratic leaders recruited her to run for Congress. She has held her Congressional seat for 22 terms and is now the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. Kaptur still lives in the same Toledo home where she grew up.