After decades of statewide losses, Ohio Democrats are about to get a big boost. The Democratic National Committee plans to make a record investment in Ohio ahead of the 2026 midterms, when voters will decide races for the U.S. Senate, governor and other statewide offices.
DNC national political director Shelby Wiltz said her organization will be giving an unspecified infusion of cash to the Ohio Democratic Party.
“I can’t give you a specific number but I can tell you it’s six figures, and that this is the most money we have ever invested in an off-year election cycle," Wiltz said in an interview.
Wiltz said the money will be used to organize party infrastructure across the state and hire staff for those offices. And she said the money will be used for paid programming to get their message out to voters.
“We are really excited to be making an investment into Ohio which would be a critical state in 2026, and making sure they have the resources they need to organize year-round," Wiltz said. "That’s a big principle of ours and something we are pushing and organizing directors all throughout the state.”
Some Democrats raised questions about why the state didn't get more support from the national organization last year when longtime former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown ended up being defeated by Republican Bernie Moreno.
"We can't rewind the clock," Wiltz said.
However, she noted that the DNC is committed to helping states like Ohio when they are ready to run year-round. Brown is running again in 2026 against Sen. Jon Husted, Ohio's former lieutenant governor, who was named to that post earlier this year by Gov. Mike DeWine.
One issue the DNC plans to hit is redistricting. Ohio is required to come up with a new 15-district congressional map this year. Democrats have been taking issue with majority Republicans on a committee of lawmakers that missed yesterday’s deadline for the first round of the congressional redistricting process. Those Republicans were critical of a map proposed by Democrats last month, that in most years would have 55% Republican leaning seats and 45% for Democrats. No Republican map was introduced. The process now moves to the GOP-dominated Ohio Redistricting Commission, which has until Oct. 31 to come up with a bipartisan plan or it goes back to the General Assembly for a simple majority vote.
Ohio was a swing state for most of the last 30 years and two Democratic presidents won Ohio during that time. But Republicans have been dominant. Since 1994, 82% of all statewide races have been won by GOP candidates.
