Since he unseated Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in a statewide Republican wave in 2024, Republican Bernie Moreno rarely missed an opportunity to publicly torch his former rival. During speeches, media appearances, and GOP rallies from Cleveland to Lima, Moreno routinely dismissed the veteran Ohio lawmaker as an “abject disaster,” an “empty suit,” “uniquely unlikable,” and a “political cicada.”

On Tuesday night, the tune changed instantly.

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“They weren’t thinking of safeguards to keep their DNA off of things. That wasn’t a thought. So I refuse to believe that there’s nothing there,” Det. Sgt. Edward Chapman recently revealed.

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SANDUSKY — A major shift in direction for the renovation and repurposing of the old Osborne Elementary School building is likely to cause an uptick in real estate sales in short order.

Maybe even a stampede.

Sandusky City Commission will vote Monday on a complete overhaul of one of the city’s highest-profile redevelopment projects, the renovation of the historic building at 920 W. Osborne Street. In 2023, Commission approved grant funding to develop 23 affordable senior housing rental units.

Common ground

At its regular meeting Monday evening, Commission is set to vote on a fundamental modification to the Economic Development Grant Agreement with developer Community Building Partners (CBP), abandoning a long-pursued plan for affordable senior rental apartments in favor of a 100% owner-occupied condo model.

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SANDUSKY — Erie County Treasurer Caleb Stidham announced Friday that he’s out as treasurer starting Monday, paving the way for his early appointment to the Ohio House of Representatives.

Stidham, a Republican, confirmed he will seek appointment on Tuesday, November 10, to fill the vacant 89th House District seat representing portions of Erie, Huron, and Ottawa counties.

“I am incredibly grateful to the residents of Erie County for the privilege of serving as their county treasurer these past five years,” Stidham said in a statement. “I have been blessed to work with outstanding colleagues, a great team in the treasurer’s office, and so many outstanding people throughout our community.”

Stidham’s resignation comes less than a week after he won election to the House District 89 seat in the November 3 general election, defeating Democratic challenger Easton Retzke.

Stidham entered the race in August after the Republican party selected him to replace incumbent State Rep. D.J. Swearingen on the fall ballot. Swearingen quit and withdrew from the race to accept a job offer from the Trump administration to serve on an anti-fraud team.

While newly elected state representatives typically take office at the start of the legislative session in January, legislative caucuses often appoint member-elects to unexpired terms when a seat becomes vacant ahead of the new term.

“I am excited to get started as state representative next week,” Stidham said. “I will tirelessly work on behalf of the people of Erie, Huron and Ottawa Counties.”

First elected Erie County Treasurer in 2020, Stidham managed county investments, tax collection, and treasury operations for five years. The Erie County Republican Central Committee is expected to convene in the coming weeks to appoint an interim treasurer to serve out the remainder of Stidham’s county term.

Police were dispatched to the facility Wednesday after nursing staff reported feeling threatened by a resident’s son, who was visiting at the time.

Get back

A nurse was administering medication to resident, according to a police report. During the visit, the resident’s son began shouting homophobic slurs and threatening to assault a staff member in the parking lot. The man made threats against staff members before, according to the report, so he was asked to leave or face trespass charges.

When officers arrived, an argument ensued. The resident grabbed a kitchen paring knife in an attempt to prevent staff and officers from entering her room, according to the report, briefly locking a staff member inside.

The resident repeatedly opened and closed the door while holding the knife upright in a threatening posture. An officer drew his Taser and ordered the resident to drop the weapon. She eventually placed the knife in a kitchen sink near the entrance.

Officers forced open the door, secured the weapon and prevented the resident from shutting the door. Her son was ordered to leave the premises immediately under threat of arrest for criminal trespassing; he gathered his belongings and exited the building.

Arrest and evaluation

As officers attempted to take the resident into custody for obstructing official business, she gripped nearby furniture and physically resisted being handcuffed. While waiting for emergency medical services to evaluate her, she threw a glass of water into the face of one of the facility’s nurses. Although EMS evaluated the resident for a suspected panic attack and reported no visible injuries, officers determined she should remain at her apartment due to her physical health rather than being transported to jail.

Formal charges of Obstructing Official Business and Resisting Arrest were later served, along with a summons for a mandatory court appearance.

SANDUSKY — Tuesday’s midterm elections delivered a seismic shift in Ohio politics, capped by a historic victory in the 10th Congressional District where Democratic challenger Kristina Knickerbocker defeated long-time Republican incumbent Mike Turner.

The victory highlights two defining, converging trends across state and national battlegrounds: a surging embrace of female candidates taking command of executive and legislative posts, and the rising political influence of healthcare professionals stepping out of clinical settings.Knickerbocker—a U.S. Air Force veteran and practicing oncology nurse practitioner—leaned heavily on her background in patient care, community health, and economic stability. Her victory in a Dayton-area district held by male incumbents for over two decades signals a growing voter preference for women equipped with direct, hands-on crisis experience.

Shattering glass ceilings

Knickerbocker’s milestone follows a trail blazed by Governor-elect Dr. Amy Acton, whose leadership at the Ohio Department of Health laid the groundwork for her historic gubernatorial campaign. The election of women with clinical backgrounds is reshaping the Buckeye State’s executive and legislative landscape.

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Dear Rusty: I have a simple question (I think). How do I find out how much I have paid into Social Security over the years? Signed: Curious Senior Citizen

Dear Curious Senior: I expect you might rightfully believe you have contributed quite a lot and, fortunately, there are a couple of convenient ways for you to find out how much you have actually paid into Social Security over your lifetime:

1. If you have an online Social Security account (www.ssa.gov/myaccount) you can simply go to your online “my Social Security” account and click on the link for “Social Security Statement.” In that online Social Security statement, you will see a listing of your lifetime earnings, and at the bottom of that listing you will see how much you (and your employers on your behalf) have paid in Social Security FICA payroll taxes (or SECA self-employment taxes) over your lifetime.

2. If you do not have your online Social Security account set up, you can also contact the Social Security Administration, either your local SS field office get the local office contact information at www.ssa.gov/locator or call 1.800.772.1213 to ask that a copy of your personal “Social Security Statement” be mailed to you.

Obviously, getting this information online is the most efficient method, so you may wish to create your online account if you don’t yet have one. Instructions for doing so can be found at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Having this online account will open the door for you to access all the information Social Security has for you, including details of your monthly benefit and your lifetime earnings history.

FYI, many who seek this information are looking to understand when (or if) they might get back all their contributions once they start collecting Social Security benefits. Of course, much depends on the age at which you claim your benefits, but as a general guide, it usually takes about 5 years or less for you to get back in SS benefits all that you have personally contributed to Social Security. However, the length of time to “breakeven” is longer for self-employed individuals, who must pay both the employee and employer portion of Social Security payroll taxes.

This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (https://amacfoundation.org/services/) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org. Because we are a non-profit organization, our services are free.

About AMAC

The 2.4 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] www.amac.us is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. AMAC Action is a non-profit, non-partisan organization representing the membership in our nation’s capital and in local Congressional Districts throughout the country. And the AMAC Foundation (www.AmacFoundation.org) is the Association’s non-profit organization, dedicated to supporting and educating America’s Seniors. Together, we act and speak on the Association members’ behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at www.amac.us/join-amac.

The consent decree, entered in federal court for the Northern District of Ohio (Western Division), resolved claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The EEOC alleged that during the 2021 and 2022 park seasons, Cedar Point implemented an unlawful policy denying company-provided housing and transportation benefits to seasonal workers age 40 and older.

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DAYTON — In one of the most stunning political reversals of Tuesday’s midterm elections, Democratic challenger Kristina Knickerbocker defeated 23-year Republican incumbent Mike Turner in Ohio’s 10th Congressional District.

Knickerbocker—a U.S. Air Force veteran and practicing oncology nurse practitioner—ran a campaign focused heavily on health system stability, veteran services, and direct community care. Her victory flips a long-held Republican seat centered in Montgomery and Greene counties that Turner had represented since 2003.

Campaign built on experience

Throughout the race, Knickerbocker framed her candidacy around crisis resolution and clinical accountability, contrasting her background as a frontline caregiver with traditional party politics.

Her message found strong traction across suburban and rural precincts, capitalizing on shifts among moderate voters and elevated turnout in key precinct pockets across the Dayton metropolitan area.

End of a long tenure

The defeat marks a dramatic shift for Turner, a former Dayton mayor and senior House leader who had comfortably defended the seat across more than two decades of legislative service. Turner’s campaign highlighted his long-standing work on national defense policy and federal installations in the region, including Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

However, Knickerbocker’s dual appeal as an Air Force veteran stationed at Wright-Patterson and a practicing nurse practitioner directly challenged Turner’s traditional stronghold on military and economic issues.

Knickerbocker will take office in January as part of the 120th United States Congress.

It’s a major procedural showdown in the federal civil rights lawsuit filed against Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin and nine of his deputies by Dean’s family. Her killer was convicted last year after the state launched a separate investigation and followed an evidence trail provided to them by a local advocate, Tracy Thom.

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COLUMBUS — A Franklin County judge yet again ruled other provisions of a law that included Ohio’s former six-week abortion ban can not be enforced.

The ban on abortions at six weeks, also called the “Heartbeat Ban,” was already blocked from enforcement, which the Ohio Attorney General’s Office chose not to fight on appeal. As Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins put it in his newest court decision, the ban on abortion when cardiac activity is detected “has gone the way of the dodo.”

But Jenkins’ newest court order added to the already struck-down abortion ban, saying all the measures of the Senate bill that were written alongside the ban are unconstitutional and can’t be used individually.

The six-week abortion ban has been a point of contention in the state for several years, partly because it’s been in court essentially since it was enacted in 2019. When the first lawsuit came about, Roe v. Wade’s legalization of abortion nationwide was still in effect. But once the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the decision in 2022, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost quickly moved to get the law out of its legal limbo, which a federal court agreed to do.

A few months later, the law was back in court, first with the Ohio Supreme Court, and then in Franklin County Common Pleas.

Jenkins ruled against the state in Oct. 2022, and the state appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

But as the state’s highest court considered the appeal, a constitutional amendment protecting abortion rights was passed by 57% of Ohio voters in 2023. The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed the appeal due to “a change in the law,” and sent the case back to state court.

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This time, Jenkins permanently blocked most of the law, saying one part of the law was unconstitutional, and “most of the provisions … are unconstitutional in their own right,” adding that the provisions of the bill couldn’t be separated from each other.

When the state appealed that decision to the First District Court of Appeals, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office said they wouldn’t fight the striking down of the six-week abortion ban, but argued the other elements of the law should remain viable.

Included in the law were requirements that medical professionals report tests for cardiac activity to the Ohio Department of Health, along with any actions they believe are exceptions to the six-week ban.

The appellate court ruled that the Franklin County court had the authority to block multiple statutes in the same bill, against the state’s arguments. But it upheld the attorney general’s claim that the state court should not have considered the constitutionality of the other provisions of the six-week ban law before considering whether they could stand on their own as separate laws.

With the case returning to Franklin County, Jenkins now had to rule on whether the provisions that were alongside the six-week abortion ban could be used as their own measures.

In his Oct. 29 decision, Jenkins found that the other parts of the law are “the same species” as the six-week abortion ban, “and for that reason, they cannot survive.”

“These measures were passed alongside the six-week ban to make it difficult, or impossible, to obtain abortion care in Ohio by placing providers at risk of criminal prosecution as well as professional and financial ruin,” Jenkins wrote.

The judge went on to say the other provisions “were enacted to enforce, document, and define the six-week ban,” and without them, the other measures can’t be read as the legislature wrote them.

“They require every physician who performs an abortion to record whether the patient’s health was a reason for it, and they make a physician who fails to keep that record subject to discipline by the State Medical Board,” Jenkins wrote.

If the provisions were allowed to stay in place, Jenkins said physicians could still face prison time for conducting abortions “to which the patient now has a constitutional right.”

The out-of-school program at Mills School could remain intact if all goes well, and the services there might be expanded to provide a medical clinic and outreach services, according to Health Commissioner Pete Schade.

Sandusky Schools CEO Dr. Luther Johnson said he and his chief of staff, Dr. Dixon recently met with Health Commissioner Pete Schade and Tondra Frisby, the former city employee who established the program at Mills School when she worked for the city as its youth programs supervisor. Frisby recently became director of youth engagement in Northwest Ohio for the health department.

Details of any lease agreement with the health department are still in a preliminary stage, Dr. Johnson said.

“While they expressed interest in leasing a district site, there are protocols and procedures in place for matters of this nature. This has not been discussed by the District, as this site is currently being utilized by the City.”

Schade and Frisby also said the inquiry is preliminary. But keeping and expanding the out-of-school program would be a central purpose for leasing the property and partnering with the district at the building, which was constructed in 1955 and has been maintained well through the years by the district.

That would include keeping the dedicated specialized interest rooms the city has said it won’t transfer to the new fitness center, Frisby said. She also has plans to continue and expand the Midtown Supper Club, a culinary program for “young chefs in training,” that Frisby established nine years ago. It brings families together—and kids working with area chefs—to learn cooking skills and healthy choices. Each season, there’s a Midtown Supper Club community dinner prepared by the young chefs in training that serves thousands. The program has raised tens of thousands of dollars through the years to support the programming.

Frisby said Mills School has been a cherished institution for generations of Sanduskians.

“These are sacred grounds, this school on Mills Street between Pierce and Buchanan, is a cherished space for so many people in our community,” Frisby said. “It connects us all generationally, right now today. This space needs to be preserved.”

For so many in the neighborhood there’s a common theme, Frisby said.

“Southside for life.”

Bonus Photo gallery: Midtown Supper Club 2025

When he accepted the job offer last year to become Sandusky Schools new CEO, Dr. Luther E. Johnson was an experienced administrator, but envisioning a moment of defeat like this was likely not on his agenda.

“We recognize that community members hold different perspectives, and we respect the outcome of the democratic process,” Dr. Johnson wrote in a letter to the community after Tuesday’s defeat of the district’s 4.6-mill operating levy.

“Although the levy was not approved, the district’s financial challenges remain. Sandusky City Schools continues to experience a gap between operating revenues and expenses, driven by increasing costs, limited growth in local revenue, and reductions in other funding sources.”

Johnson’s letter strikes a diplomatic tone, expressing gratitude for community engagement and respecting the democratic proces, but the underlying message is stark: the district faces an immediate financial deficit, and significant cuts are coming.

Key Takeaways from the Superintendent’s Statement

• The Revenue Gap: The rejected levy would have generated roughly $3.4 million in annual operating revenue. Without it, the structural gap between rising operational costs and flat local revenue remains unaddressed.

• Reductions are Inevitable: Dr. Johnson explicitly states that maintaining a balanced budget will require evaluating additional cuts across staffing, academic programs, student services, and operational expenses.

• Next Steps for the Board: District administration will begin reviewing the budget to bring formal recommendation packages to the Board of Education for review and approval.

Commentary & Perspective

Levy rejections are rarely a reflection of how a community feels about its children; rather, they reflect the real economic pressures households face every day. However, running a school district on a deficit is legally and operationally impossible over the long term.

When a $3.4 million annual revenue line disappears from a public school budget, administrative “efficiencies” alone rarely cover the gap. The community should prepare for tough conversations in the coming months regarding class sizes, extracurricular offerings, facility usage, and staffing levels.

What to Watch For Moving Forward

1. Board of Education Meetings: The upcoming school board agendas will be critical viewing as the administration outlines specific proposed reductions.

2. Impact on Classroom Instruction: How the district balances fiscal necessity against its commitment to core educational priorities.

3. Future Ballot Measures: Whether the board chooses to revise and return the operating levy to voters on a future election ballot.

Read the full statement below:

November 4, 2026

Dear Sandusky City Schools Community,

Following the November 3 election, the Sandusky City Schools Board of Education and administration acknowledge the community’s decision regarding the district’s proposed operating levy.

We appreciate the individuals who took the time to learn about the district’s financial circumstances, participate in the election, and engage in conversations about the future of our schools. We recognize that community members hold different perspectives, and we respect the outcome of the democratic process.

Although the levy was not approved, the district’s financial challenges remain. Sandusky City Schools continues to experience a gap between operating revenues and expenses, driven by increasing costs, limited growth in local revenue, and reductions in other funding sources.

Without the additional approximately $3.4 million in annual operating revenue, the district will need to evaluate further financial adjustments to maintain a balanced budget and meet its ongoing obligations.

This process will require difficult decisions. Additional reductions to staffing, programs, services, and other operational expenses may become necessary. The administration will carefully review all areas of the budget, identify potential efficiencies, and develop recommendations for the Board of Education to consider.

We want our families, staff, and community to understand that we will approach any future adjustments thoughtfully, with consideration for student needs, instructional priorities, and the district’s responsibility to operate within available financial resources.

Although this election outcome presents additional challenges, our commitment to students and their educational experience remains unchanged. We must continue providing meaningful learning opportunities while making the financial decisions necessary to sustain the district.

We will keep our community informed as we evaluate the financial implications and determine the next steps. We appreciate our employees’ continued dedication, our families’ partnership, and our community’s engagement.

Regardless of this election’s outcome, our commitment to the students and families of Sandusky City Schools continues.

Sincerely,

Luther E. Johnson, Jr., Ed.D What are your thoughts on the election outcome and the future of Sandusky City Schools? Join the conversation in the comments below.

Republican Frank LaRose claimed victory over Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell in the race for Ohio Auditor Wednesday morning.

“I’m honored and humbled by the opportunity to serve as your next Ohio Auditor of State, but it’s certainly a victory that’s bittersweet,” LaRose said in a statement. “I know we’re disappointed about the outcome of so many other races. We, as Republicans, have a lot of work to do.”

With 102,148 provisional ballots outstanding, and 100% of precincts reporting in unofficial results on the Ohio Secretary of State website, LaRose is winning the race with 2,310,105 votes, or 50.79%, compared to 2,237,955 votes, or 49.21%, for Blackwell.

The Auditor of State is the chief compliance officer for Ohio, conducting performance audits on state entities, local governments like cities and townships, and school districts around the state. The auditor has the power to designate fiscal watches and emergencies for entities who don’t receive clean financial audits. In times when the redrawing of state voting district maps occurs, the auditor has a seat on the Ohio Redistricting Commission as well.

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Democratic Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell leads one of the cities who faced fiscal emergency while current auditor Keith Faber led the office. She said her experience bringing the city back from the emergency gave her perspective she planned to use in leading the office.

Her campaign focused on enhancing the role of the office through the use of recommendations for struggling municipalities, and support for those entities as they go through the audit process.

She also said financial modeling needs to be upgraded to allow the state and it’s local governments to better predict their future under lower support from the local government fund, and tax incentives brought in to appeal to industries like data center developers and other large companies.

Republican Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose campaigned for the move to auditor on a platform of accountability, affordability, and transparency. As part of his plan for office, he pledged both to harness the power of artificial intelligence for use within the auditor’s office, and to keep watch over AI’s potential to cause problems for local governments and the agency itself.

He acknowledged public trust in governmental institutions is “at an all-time low,” and pushed for more programs to identify public corruption, including an “Ohio Taxpayer Fraud Bounty Program” to encourage public reports of corruption.

COLUMBUS — Ohio Democratic incumbent justice Jennifer Brunner and Democratic challenger Marilyn Zayas appear to have defeated their Republican opponents in unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.

Two slots for the Ohio Supreme Court were open, one currently filled by Republican Justice Dan Hawkins, and the other by the only currently statewide elected Democrat, Justice Jennifer Brunner.

Brunner faced Republican opponent and former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell. O’Donnell spotlighted her time as an immigration judge in Texas as part of her campaign, a time in which she said she never granted asylum for those who were in her courtroom.

The Gavel outside the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original article.)

Ohio Democratic incumbent justice Jennifer Brunner and Democratic challenger Marilyn Zayas appear to have defeated their Republican opponents in unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s website.

Two slots for the Ohio Supreme Court were open, one currently filled by Republican Justice Dan Hawkins, and the other by the only currently statewide elected Democrat, Justice Jennifer Brunner.

Brunner faced Republican opponent and former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell. O’Donnell spotlighted her time as an immigration judge in Texas as part of her campaign, a time in which she said she never granted asylum for those who were in her courtroom.

With 102,148 provisional ballots outstanding, and 100% of precincts reporting in unofficial results on the Ohio Secretary of State website, Brunner has 2,324,212 votes, or 51.37%, to 2,200,021 votes, or 48.63% for O’Donnell.

Zayays has 2,307,346 votes, or 51.01%, to 2,215,728n votes, or 48.99% for Hawkins.

O’Donnell also aligned with the many Republican judges she defeated in the primary in supporting “originalism” as the method for interpreting the state constitution during supreme court cases.

“I do not take the view that the Constitution, for example, is a living, breathing document, and so I honor both substantive and procedural judicial restraint,” O’Donnell told the Capital Journal in May.

The former common pleas and immigration judge served in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, clerked for a federal judge and worked in private practice before being appointed to serve as judge in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. After she left the post in 2023, she served as a federal immigration judge in Laredo, Texas.

She is also the daughter of retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell.

Brunner has been on the bench since 2021, and has been the sole Democrat on the bench since her colleagues Michael Donnelly and Melody Stewart were defeated in 2024. Since she started on the bench, the court has seen the chief justice change from Maureen O’Connor to Sharon Kennedy, and considered cases on topics ranging from redistricting, data centers, and education, to abortion, victim’s rights, and gender-affirming care.

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A state law passed in 2021 required supreme court races to include partisan labels on ballots, something Brunner sued to repeal in 2023. The lawsuit is still ongoing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, and cites the state’s judicial conduct code in arguing judicial candidates are not allowed to participate in political or campaign activities that go against judicial independence or impartiality.

Brunner told the Capital Journal before the election that she sees it as a First Amendment issue which causes voters to assume she agrees wholesale with the Democratic platform.

“And I’m not in in a position to say, ‘well, it’s more nuanced here,’ or ‘no, it’s not the same here,’ or even ‘yes, it is the same,’ because I’ve got the code of judicial conduct,” Brunner said in August.

First District Court of Appeals Judge Marilyn Zayas is no stranger to campaigning for a seat on the supreme court, but as the campaign moved past the primaries, she said she felt a different energy in the 2026 election.

“I’m seeing how we are losing faith in our court because of politics, and politics has no place in our Ohio Supreme Court,” Zayas said at the Ohio Democratic Party’s primary event in May.

Hawkins was elected in 2024, taking over for fellow Republican Justice Joe Deters, who chose not to run for re-election, but to run for the seat that was held by Justice Melody Stewart. He previously served on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. He also spent more than a decade as a trial prosecutor, and a decade as director of Franklin County’s Special Victims Unit.

On social media, he campaigned with the idea that there would be no special treatment or “gray areas” in his method of judging.

“The moment justice becomes selective it stops being justice,” a post on his Facebook page stated. “That is a line this court will never cross while I’m on the bench.”

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State auditor Keith Faber will be out of a job come January after being defeated in his bid to become Ohio’s next attorney general, according to unofficial results. The difference was less than 1% of the vote total, $28,407 votes out of 4.5 million ballots cast.

-- Kulewicz: 2,285,117 votes

-- Faber: 2,256,710 votes

Faber conceded to his opponent, Democrat John. J. Kulewicz shortly after 9 this morning.

“I want to thank all of our supporters and the great Ohioans who honored me with their votes. I have called and wished Mr. Kulewicz well. Unless there is some unusual vote pattern in the provisional and UCAVA votes Mr. Kulewicz will be Ohio’s next Attorney General,” Faber wrote in a social media post.

*

Earlier today,

Democrat Kulewicz holds narrow lead over Keith Faber in Ohio Attorney General race

By Susan Tebben
Ohio Capital Journal

Ohio Democratic candidate for attorney general John J. Kulewicz holds a narrow lead in the race against Ohio Republican Keith Faber.

With 102,148 provisional ballots outstanding, and 100% of precincts reporting in unofficial results on the Ohio Secretary of State website, Kulewicz is winning the race with 2,285,117 votes, or 50.31%, compared to 2,256,710 votes, or 49.69%, for Faber.

Republican Keith Faber and Democrat John Kulewicz faced off to become the state’s chief law enforcement officer and legal counsel.

Faber took the role of state auditor after being a legislator in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate. He also served as the Senate president during his legislative tenure.

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Kulewicz has spent 40 years as part of the law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP. He also sits on Upper Arlington City Council. He campaigned on the idea that the state was looking for a change in the attorney general’s office, just as they are looking for change in other statewide offices. He told the Capital Journal before the election that he’d heard from people who believe “36 years of almost uninterrupted one-party rule has gotten us nowhere.”

Both vowed to enforce state laws to the highest degree, including investigations of elder abuse, human trafficking, and cybercrime.

Faber stood against sanctuary cities and emphasized the need for local law enforcement to work with federal immigration enforcement.

“Where you have problems is when local communities decide they want to be a sanctuary community, and they don’t cooperate with federal law enforcement, that leads to all sorts of potential conflicts,” Faber said in a Youngstown Press Club debate.

Kulewicz said he would do what was required under federal law when it came to immigration enforcement, but would prioritize local issues “to the extent that (enforcement) is discretionary.”

Both candidates said they would get the trial related to Ohio House Bill 6’s energy bailouts, and the leaders of FirstEnergy back in the courtroom after the previous case ended in a hung jury.

The previous person elected to the post, Republican Dave Yost, resigned in June to join a conservative non-profit law firm.

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COLUMBUS — Marcy Kaptur was re-elected Tuesday for the 22nd time.

First elected in 1982, U.S. Rep. Kaptur increased her margin of victory over her GOP opponent Derek Merrin from the results in 2024, when Merrin came within a half percentage point of defeating her. In the rematch, Kaptur captured 159,306 votes to Merrin’s 142,830, a 53-47% margin, according to the Associated Press.

The AP called the race for Kaptur early this morning.

The GOP majority in the state legislature gerrymandered the 9th district to make it more Republican than it was in 2024. Despite the effort, Kaptur widened her margin of victory by 5 points.

Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in congressional history.

Merrin served four terms as an Ohio state representative for the Toledo district from 2016 to 2025.

Good day Democrats

All five Ohio Democratic incumbents held their U.S. Congressional district seats Tuesday while Democratic challengers have flipped at least two and maybe three Republican seats.

According to Associated Press projections, Ohio Democratic candidate Brian Poindexter won Ohio’s 7th Congressional district, beating incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller, and Democrat Don Leonard defeated Ohio Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Carey.

Decision Desk HQ projects that Democratic challenger Kristina Knickerbocker also defeated Ohio Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, while the DCCC congratulated her and she gave a victory speech, the Dayton Daily News reports.

The U.S. Capitol on March 3, 2026. (Photo by Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)

As of 4 a.m., Knickerbocker had 149,024 votes, according to unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, compared to 144,086 for Turner, a difference of 4,938 votes.

Results will remain unofficial until they are certified by election officials later this month.

Nationally, Democratic candidates flipped control of the U.S. House in the Midterm elections Tuesday night.

Miller, who has served in Congress since 2023, is under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for allegations he “may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use.”

Allegations of domestic violence against Miller caused several prominent Republicans to call for his resignation over the summer — a movement led by Miller’s ex-father-in-law, U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno. Miller denies the allegations against him.

Ohio’s 15th Congressional district

Ohio Democrat Don Leonard beat incumbent Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Carey for Ohio’s 15th Congressional district.

Leonard previously taught regional and city planning at Ohio State University and Carey has served in Congress since 2021.

Ohio’s 1st Congressional District

Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman won Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, beating Republican Eric Conroy, the Associated Press projected Tuesday.

Landsman has served in Congress since 2023.

Ohio’s 13th District

Ohio Democratic U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes won Ohio’s 13 Congressional District, beating Republican Carey Coleman, the Associated Press projected Tuesday.

Sykes has served in Congress since 2023.

“It is my great honor to be re-elected to represent my community,” she said in a statement.

“I will continue to fight to bring down costs and keep more money in your pockets, address the corruption in Washington that is making politicians rich while Ohioans suffer, and overturn policies that are stripping healthcare and food benefits away from kids and the elderly.”

Ohio’s 10th Congressional District

Ohio’s 10th Congressional district race between incumbent Ohio Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Turner and Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker was too close to call late Tuesday night.

Turner has served in Congress since 2003, and Knickerbocker is an U.S. Air Force Veteran and oncology nurse practitioner.

Ohio’s remaining congressional districts

Republican Ohio U.S. Reps. Dave Taylor, Jim Jordan, Bob Latta, Michael Rulli, Warren Davidson, Troy Balderson, and David Joyce all won their races.

Democratic Ohio U.S. Reps. Joyce Beatty and Shontel Brown both won their races.

Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on X or on Bluesky.

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SANDUSKY — Voters pushed back against new taxes in Sandusky and other local school districts defeating tax measures that local school officials say are desperately needed.

Sandusky voters rejected a 4.9-mill levy by a 55-45% margin, 4,236 against with 3,414 residents voting in favor of it. The school board and district treasurer are projecting deficit spending without significant cuts in programming and personnel if revenue sources can’t be found.

State legislators have been defunding public education by transferring money to charter schools, school choice and school voucher programs that benefit private schools at the expense of public schools. Meanwhile, there has been a tax revolt involving Ohioans who support an initiative to repeal property taxes, altogether.

The school board's next scheduled meeting is at 6 p.m. Tuesday, (November 10) at the board offices, 407 Decatur St. It's likely the board will begin to consider what cuts must be made to address budget shortfalls.

Margaretta
The district’s 2.15-mill bond issue was defeated Tuesday, according to unofficial election results, by 54-47% margin. There were 1,474 against the new tax with 1,289 for the issue.

Caleb Stidham overcame a blue wave Tuesday, winning election by a 55-45% margin to defeat his Democratic opponent Easton Retzke. The unofficial vote total is 17,244 to 14,270, according to the Erie County Board of Elections.

Stidham, the elected county treasurer the last five years, takes office in January. While he was a college student, Stidham interned in 89th District Rep. Steve Arndt’s office, and he’s worked closely with the office in his role as county Republican chairman.

Democrats are poised to control the majority of governor’s offices for the first time in 16 years after the GOP racked up major losses across the country.

Democrats flipped governorships in Iowa, Ohio, Georgia and Texas and defended competitive races in Maine and Wisconsin, according to unofficial results from The Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ.

Midterms are always tough for the party that holds the White House, but high prices and growing disapproval of President Donald Trump delivered even stronger than expected results for Democrats Tuesday.

Democrats are poised to control the majority of governor’s offices for the first time in 16 years after the GOP racked up major losses across the country.

Democrats flipped governorships in Iowa, Ohio, Georgia and Texas and defended competitive races in Maine and Wisconsin, according to unofficial results from The Associated Press and Decision Desk HQ.

Midterms are always tough for the party that holds the White House, but high prices and growing disapproval of President Donald Trump delivered even stronger than expected results for Democrats Tuesday.

“It’s a blue wave that was bigger than anyone had expected, and it’s having consequences across the country, including here in Texas,” said Mark Jones, a political science professor at Rice University in Houston. “Overall, Donald Trump has single-handedly turned many red states blue — or at least purple.”

By late Tuesday, Democrats had won races for attorney general and lieutenant governor for the first time in decades and were well on their way to flipping the Texas House.

“One of the real questions will be what do Democrats do with this power, and will they be able to retain it,” he said. “This has effectively opened a door for Democrats across the country.”

Gubernatorial races proved historic for both Democrats and Republicans on Tuesday with the election of the nation’s first Black woman governor and the first Black Republican governor.

But the Democratic party made major gains coast to coast, particularly in reliably conservative states, that could reshape state policy for years to come.

In Iowa, the election of Democrat Rob Sand ends more than a decade of Republican control of the legislature and the governor’s office.

In Ohio, Democrat Dr. Amy Acton’s win marks the first time in 20 years that Ohio voters have selected a Democrat to lead the Buckeye State.

Former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms will become Georgia’s first Democratic governor since 2002.

While governors were on ballots in 36 states, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter only identified a dozen races for governor as competitive. Those included: Alaska, Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, Texas and Wisconsin.

Republicans have controlled a majority of state governments since 2010. Before Tuesday’s election, Republicans boasted a 26-24 gubernatorial advantage over Democrats. But the GOP’s state legislative advantage was even stronger, with Republicans controlling 28 state legislatures and Democrats controlling 18 with divided control of chambers in three states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

By 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Democrats had notched major legislative wins. Democrats broke the GOP supermajority in Florida, flipped control of the Wisconsin state Senate and flipped the North Carolina state House.

In Pennsylvania, Democrats won the GOP-held state Senate, seizing a trifecta – control of the governor’s office and both chambers of the legislature – in Harrisburg.

“Tonight’s earth-shattering victory is undeniable proof that voters are fed up with the MAGA agenda,” Heather Williams, president of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, said in a news release.

In Arizona, Democrats declared victory in a yearslong effort to win control of the legislature, proclaiming that Republicans would be in the minority at the state Capitol for the first time in 60 years.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org.

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This story was originally produced by Stateline, which is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network which includes Ohio Capital Journal, and is supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.