Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton helped lead the state through the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, earning her both praise and scorn. Now, she’s running as a Democrat to replace term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.
“I’m running for governor because I don’t want to look the other way when Ohioans are struggling,” Acton told the statehouse bureau on Tuesday. “By almost every measure, our state has been going in the wrong direction and I think we all know it’s time for a change.”
Acton, 58, of Bexley, became a household name in Ohio during daily COVID-19 news updates when she stood beside Republican DeWine in her white lab coat. She quickly became known for her encouraging phrases − “Not all heroes wear capes” − and simple public health explanations – layering safety precautions like Swiss cheese.
More:As Ohio health director, Dr. Amy Acton went from unknown to icon — beloved by many, targeted by some
Acton encouraged DeWine to close schools, polling locations, and businesses in early 2020 to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Those decisions had other consequences, including soaring unemployment and frustrated small business owners confused about why their larger competitors could remain open.
That vitriol was often directed at Acton, who was given a security detail after protesters camped outside her home. Acton, who is Jewish, also faced antisemitic insults. After over a year on the job, Acton resigned as state health director on June 11, 2020, and left DeWine’s administration several weeks later.
“People are tired of being pitted against one another,” Acton said of division in politics. “Instead of hearing solutions to problems, people are hearing a lot of vitriol, a lot of culture wars and they’re frustrated. They’re frustrated that we’re not addressing the real struggles we face in day-to-day life.”
Acton considered a run for U.S. Senate in 2021 to replace retiring Sen. Rob Portman. But she didn’t mount a bid, and Democrats picked Rep. Tim Ryan to challenge political newcomer JD Vance instead. Vance defeated Ryan before joining President-elect Donald Trump’s winning ticket in 2024.
Acton, or any other Democratic gubernatorial hopeful, faces long odds in Ohio in 2026. Democrats haven’t won a governor’s race in the Buckeye State since 2006 when Ted Strickland defeated Republican Ken Blackwell. In November, Trump and Vance won the state easily as Republican Bernie Moreno unseated longtime Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
But Acton said Republicans, Democrats and independents in Ohio are looking for a change, one she hopes to provide as a first-time candidate.
“Ohioans are very independent-thinking. They often ask for leadership where people are willing to face the hard problems and bring people around the table,” Acton said. “Problems don’t really care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican.”
Republicans are also lining up to replace DeWine, who backs Lt. Gov. Jon Husted for the job. Husted is also the frontrunner to replace Vance in the Ohio Senate, but he hasn’t decided which position to pursue.
Other GOP contenders for governor could include Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Ohio Treasurer Rob Sprague and Trump appointee Vivek Ramaswamy, who grew up in the Cincinnati area and lives outside of Columbus.
Acton didn’t weigh in on specific GOP gubernatorial hopefuls. “I’m quite certain that the other side will put forward strong candidates, but what I hope we all do is begin to have the hard conversations about the problems that matter to Ohioans.”
Before Acton served as Ohio’s first female health director, Acton worked as a community research and grants management officer for the Columbus Foundation and a public health professor at Ohio State University.
Acton was born in Youngstown to parents who divorced when she was 3 years old. Her living situation was tumultuous during those early years, sleeping in a tent while homeless during one winter. Her life stabilized by high school, where she was a homecoming queen and National Honor Society member, WKBN reported.
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Acton said those experiences gave her empathy for struggling Ohioans, concerned about housing, health care access and safety. “While I had the ability to have a better life, I’m not sure that we’re continuing to make that for all Ohioans.”
Acton attended Youngstown State University before earning a medical degree from Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine and a master’s in public health from Ohio State University.
After leaving the DeWine administration, Acton worked at the Columbus Foundation for several months and briefly led a nonprofit working to connect Franklin County’s trail network with five stream corridors called RAPID 5.
She lives in Bexley with her husband, Eric, who is a coach and teacher. They have six children in their blended family.
Acton’s entrance into the governor’s race signals that Brown won’t run for that job. Acton backed Brown’s Senate bid in 2024, hosting fundraisers for him and Democrats running for the Ohio Statehouse. “I hope to earn the support of many of my friends and colleagues, including the senator,” Acton said Tuesday.
Brown told the statehouse bureau that he’s not ruling out anything for his political future. His immediate plan is to “make the Democratic Party the party of workers again.”
Allison Russo, the top Democrat in the Ohio House of Representatives, could also throw her hat into the ring. The Democrat from Upper Arlington has served in the Ohio Legislature, fighting against GOP policies and redistricting maps, since 2019.
Ryan, who now works with natural gas and cryptocurrency groups, is keeping his options open, according to Signal Cleveland.
Reporter Haley BeMiller contributed to this article.
Jessie Balmert covers state government and politics for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.