Meet Republicans who want Kaptur's seat

First they must win the Ohio Republican Primary on May 5

SANDUSKY —In Texas, in Indiana and in Wisconsin and in Illinois, there are fierce battles raging in the state legislatures to redistrict U.S. Congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm election to gain electoral advantage.

In Ohio, it’s a done deal, settled just last month in a bipartisan way without fulfilling the promise of fair districts. For U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo, there’s no time to look back. State leaders from both parties agreed to a new Ohio Congressional map that made just two of 15 U.S. House Districts in the state more Republican; Kaptur’s 9th District is one of them.

Derek Merrin (Campaign photo)

She’s running for re-election and she intends to win, Kaptur said after the new map was adopted, shrugging off the gerrymandered district she represents, which still includes Sandusky and Erie County. It’s always been a gerrymandered district. After the 2000 census, Erie and Lorain counties were added to the 9th, making it a stronger hold for Democrats.

Kaptur has represented the 9th District since 1982, and she’s a member of the powerful appropriations committee.

In 2022, the district was rated “likely Democrat;” in 2024 it was rated a tossup; and in 2026, after a second, constitutionally mandated redrawing of the map, the 9th District is rated “likely Republican.”

In Columbus, four people are declared candidates in the Ohio primary election next year for the Republican nomination to run against Kaptur. There is speculation a fifth candidate could announce after Jan. 1.

“Some times campaigns wait to make a final decision and they can skip filing campaign finance reports for the year before the election, this year in this case,” a party official who asked not to be identified told StayTunedSandusky.com.

They said Ohio Senate President Rob McColley is likely to announce for the 9th District after the holidays. McColley represents the 1st Senate District, which covers several of the counties in Northwest Ohio that make up the new 9th District. He was unanimously elected by his colleagues to serve as Senate President this year, with his term expiring Dec. 31, 2026.

The declared candidates are: Derek Merrin; Alea Nadeem; Josh Williams; and Anthony Campbell.

One big question about the Republican primary race everybody is asking, according to our source, is will President Donald Trump make an endorsement in the 9th District primary, and if so, who does he favor. In 2022, Trump endorsed J.R. Majewski, who won the primary but lost the general election that year. In 2024, he endorsed Merrin, who nearly won in a district that favored Democrats.