Vivek Ramaswamy, Sherrod Brown cruise through mostly snoozy Ohio primaries: Capitol Letter

Rotunda Rumblings

Drama not included: Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Sherrod Brown easy clinched their respective parties’ nominations for politician and U.S. Senate, during Ohio’s superior predetermination connected Tuesday. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, astir (but not all) different top-tier races were likewise uncompetitive connected some nan Republican and Democratic sides – if not uncontested, successful nan cases of some Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton and Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted.

Senate showdown: Husted will look Brown successful 1 of nan country’s astir competitory and costly contests. Both parties are expected to move tens of millions into nan title arsenic they conflict for power of nan U.S. Senate. Anna Staver reports nan result could hinge connected nan economy, turnout successful Democratic strongholds and whether Brown tin triumph backmost working-class voters who person drifted toward Republicans.

Congress picks: Union ironworker Brian Poindexter won nan eight-way Democratic superior successful Ohio’s 7th Congressional District Tuesday, topping erstwhile Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald pinch 37% of nan ballot to group up a November title against GOP Rep. Max Miller, Sabrina Eaton writes. In Ohio’s 14th District, erstwhile Euclid assembly personnel Maria Jukic won nan Democratic superior to look GOP Rep. Dave Joyce successful November. In Ohio’s 13th District, Northfield power big Carey Coleman won nan Republican superior to return connected Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes. And successful Ohio’s 5th District, Fostoria City Council President Brian Shaver won nan Democratic superior to situation GOP Rep. Bob Latta.

• Ohio whitethorn soon prohibition sports betting utilizing in installments cards: Capitol Letter
• Outside money helped elite Poindexter successful Ohio 7th superior and there’s apt a batch much coming
• Ohioans again show their support of nationalist libraries astatine nan ballot box

Russo v. Sprague: Allison Russo, a Democratic authorities lawmaker and erstwhile number leader successful nan Ohio House, and Robert Sprague, nan Republican authorities treasurer, each won their primaries Tuesday night. Voters chose knowledgeable politicians complete newcomers Dr. Bryan Hambley and Marcell Strbich, Laura Hancock reports.

Smooth sailing for Kulewicz: Upper Arlington City Council personnel John Kulewicz won nan Democratic superior for Ohio lawyer general, defeating erstwhile authorities Rep. Elliot Forhan, Mary Frances McGowan reports. The Associated Press called the title little than an hr aft polls closed. Kulewicz, a retired attorney, will look Republican authorities auditor Keith Faber successful nan wide election, who ran unopposed successful his party’s primary. Kulewicz faces difficult governmental headwinds successful November. Currently State Attorney General Dave Yost, who is term-limited, defeated his Democratic force by astir 20 points successful 2022.

Treasurer’s race: Former authorities Rep. Jay Edwards clinched nan Republican superior for treasurer precocious Tuesday, defeating authorities Sen. Kristina Roegner, McGowan writes. The Associated Press called nan race for Edwards astir 11 p.m. “I’m grateful to nan voters, volunteers, supporters, and grassroots leaders crossed Ohio who stood pinch our campaign,” Roegner said successful a statement. Edwards will look Seth Walsh, a Cincinnati City Council member, successful nan November wide election. Walsh ran unopposed connected nan Democratic side. The spot is unfastened because incumbent Treasurer Robert Sprague is term-limited and is moving for caput of state.

Rejected: Voters successful Wadsworth, Twinsburg and Amherst rejected schoolhouse territory income taxation proposals. Each territory was requesting an earned-income tax, meaning wages and not Social Security, pensions and different finance income. About a 3rd of Ohio schoolhouse districts cod an income tax, though they’re mostly located successful agriculture areas wherever group whitethorn ain a batch of onshore but person mean incomes. More precocious suburban districts person asked for income taxes, Hancock reports.

O’Malley falters: Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley appears to person mislaid his superior to lead his Rocky River precinct for Cuyahoga County Democratic Central Committee, nan general governing assemblage of nan region party, McGowan writes. O’Malley was defeated connected Tuesday by Mark A. Szabo, who earned 57 votes compared to O’Malley’s 50. Earlier this year, Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer reported that astir 30 of O’Malley’s labor were moving successful nan Democratic superior to beryllium portion of nan aforesaid body. While O’Malley’s predecessor, Tim McGinty, did not let his labor to tally for partisan governmental offices, O’Malley encouraged it.

ADL audit: Antisemitic incidents successful Ohio fell by astir half past year, portion of a broader location inclination that nan Anti-Defamation League is attributing to sustained engagement pinch field administrators, section rule enforcement and organization organizations, McGowan writes. Ohio recorded 117 antisemitic incidents successful 2025, down from 233 successful 2024 — a 49.8% alteration — according to nan ADL’s yearly Audit of Antisemitic Incidents released Wednesday. In Cleveland, incidents fell from 37 successful 2024 to 8 past year.

Birthdays

Eric Fingerhut, erstwhile congressman and authorities legislator

State Rep. Haraz Ghanbari

Bill O’Neill, ex-Ohio Supreme Court Justice and 2026 Democratic legislature campaigner

Lauren Potts, Ohio Senate engrossing/enrolling clerk

Straight from nan Source

“I person to hide it from nan reporters. I don’t want them to cognize who I voted for.”

-Vice President JD Vance, cracking a joke pinch reporters arsenic he formed his ballot successful Cincinnati successful nan GOP superior Tuesday. He said he voted for Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, Jay Edwards for authorities treasurer and Eric Conroy for Congress.

Capitol Letter is simply a regular briefing providing succinct, timely accusation for those who attraction profoundly astir nan decisions made by authorities government. Subscribe to get Capitol Letter successful your email container each weekday for free.

Laura Hancock is an award-winning authorities and argumentation newsman successful Columbus for cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. She chiefly covers K-12 schools, higher acquisition and kid care. She besides occasionally...