Vivek Ramaswamy

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton toured the Youngstown Business Incubator and rallied in Liberty, stressing ties to Mahoning and Trumbull counties ahead of Election Day against Republican Vivek Ramaswamy. Acton has repeatedly addressed a Ramaswamy-backed ad featuring her estranged mother, calling her a liar and alleging mental health issues; Gov. Mike DeWine called it exploitative. Both candidates are closing with pitches on Ohio's affordability crisis, with Ramaswamy touting his business background and property-tax executive orders, and Acton emphasizing public-service experience, a working families tax cut, and school funding.

Ramaswamy has self-funded and outspent Acton nearly $80 million to $34 million overall, though Acton has outraised him recently; both have shattered Ohio's gubernatorial fundraising record, and neither has held elected office before. Democrats are banking on a late push, including a Cleveland rally with Barack Obama and expanded early voting, as prediction markets show Acton favored heading into Election Day.

Ohio voters on Nov. 3 will pick a successor to term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine, with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy facing Democrat Amy Acton and Libertarian Don Kissick. The same ballot includes a special U.S. Senate election to fill the remainder of JD Vance's term, pitting incumbent appointee Jon Husted against challengers; the winner serves until 2028. All 15 Ohio U.S. House seats are also up, under a new Republican-favorable congressional map targeting Democratic-held districts. In Kentucky, Republican Andy Barr and Democrat Charles Booker are competing for the seat long held by retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell. Indiana will re-elect its House delegation, and ballot measures appear in all three states.

Ahead of Ohio's U.S. Senate and governor races, prediction market activity has drawn scrutiny from political scientists and state lawmakers who argue betting on elections undermines public trust in democracy. Ohio State professor Nathaniel Swigger warns that large discrepancies between market-implied odds and public polling in the governor's race between Amy Acton and Vivek Ramaswamy could fuel doubts about vote legitimacy if outcomes diverge from market expectations.

State Sen. Bill DeMora has introduced legislation to ban election wagering through prediction markets, noting most states already prohibit it. Kalshi, which bars politicians from trading and recently added transparency features, remains in a legal dispute with Ohio over state regulatory authority, while its advocacy arm defends prediction markets as more accurate than polling.

President Donald Trump made his third October campaign stop in Ohio, rallying supporters in Chillicothe ahead of the November 3 midterms. Joined by Sen. Bernie Moreno, Trump backed Sen. Jon Husted, who faces former Sen. Sherrod Brown in a tight special election for the seat JD Vance vacated, and gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who faces Democrat Amy Acton. Trump criticized Democratic economic policy and touted Ohio data-center growth while urging turnout.

Democrats countered with their own events, including a Cincinnati rally featuring Acton and Brown, following a Cleveland appearance where former President Barack Obama campaigned alongside them. Early voting is already underway statewide.

President Trump holds a midterm rally in Chillicothe, Ohio, his third visit to the state this month, highlighting competitive governor and Senate races. Gov. Mike DeWine, a fellow Republican, had not announced plans to greet him, after Trump recently called DeWine "disloyal" and a "RINO" on Truth Social for urging gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to pull an attack ad targeting Democrat Amy Acton. DeWine kept his endorsement of Ramaswamy but criticized the ad. DeWine has greeted presidents of both parties at past Ohio visits, though he skipped Trump's two previous recent stops, once to attend a funeral. DeWine is term-limited and cannot run again.

Barack Obama campaigned in Cleveland on Oct. 24 for Ohio Democrats Amy Acton (governor) and Sherrod Brown (U.S. Senate) ahead of the 2026 midterms. His remarks on civic decency and criticism of Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth drew praise from commentators like Aaron Rupar, Sarah Posner and Robert Reich, who urged wide sharing of the speech. Obama also condemned a Vivek Ramaswamy ad attacking Acton's family.

A separate line comparing Trump's White House redecoration to a "Cheesecake Factory" drew sharper reaction, with critics like Scott Jennings and Steve Krakauer calling it condescending, while Nate Silver and James Surowiecki defended the joke.

With Election Day a week away, Illinois Democrats are campaigning beyond state lines to aid party allies nationally. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi backed Texas Railroad Commissioner candidate Jon Rosenthal; Sen. Tammy Duckworth campaigned for Sherrod Brown in Ohio; Rahm Emanuel canvassed in New Hampshire; and Rep. Danny Davis and successor nominee La Shawn Ford campaigned for Wisconsin gubernatorial candidate David Crowley. Gov. JB Pritzker is focused on his own reelection, holding a large cash advantage and backing fellow Democrats financially.

Big money is also flowing into Illinois races, including Chicago school board contests, with GOP megadonors Dick and Elizabeth Uihlein and wealthy Democratic-aligned groups both spending heavily to shape outcomes from Springfield to Chicago.