Ohio Democrats take three seats in new congressional map
Voters in Columbus, Cleveland, and Dayton suburbs elected challengers to unseat long-time incumbents, shifting the state's House delegation.
By Noor Graham ·
Three Republican incumbents lost their seats in Ohio's congressional races this week, giving Democrats a larger share of the state's delegation than the 2026 redistricting map intended. The outcome defies the design of the new boundaries, which were drawn to favor 12 Republicans and three Democrats. Instead, the state will send eight Democrats and seven Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives.
Don Leonard defeated Mike Carey in the 15th District, which covers Columbus and rural areas to the south and west. Brian Poindexter beat Max Miller in a district covering Cleveland's suburbs. Kristina Knickerbocker declared victory against Mike Turner in Dayton. Turner served as a 20-year incumbent and former mayor. The Associated Press had not officially called Knickerbocker's race as of Wednesday afternoon.
Leonard, a former university city planning professor, attributed the Democratic wins to voter rejection of the Republican agenda. He described the party's platform as bankrupt. "I think for many Americans, there was no map that could have saved the Republican Party from the wallop they got last night," Leonard said. He noted that his opponents included a union ironworker and an Air Force veteran, calling them phenomenal neighbors and colleagues.
Paul Beck, a professor emeritus at Ohio State University, agreed with Leonard's assessment. Speaking on WOSU, Beck said voters in these districts were fed up with corruption linked to President Donald Trump and Ohio Republicans. He specifically pointed to Carey's background as a coal lobbyist. Beck argued that lobbyists are viewed as supportive of the wealthy, a perception that hurts their chances in current elections. He also cited the FirstEnergy scandal as an undercurrent that hurt Republican candidates.
Turnout played a decisive role in Leonard's victory. He secured more than 60 percent of the vote in the southern and western portions of Franklin County. Previous candidates who ran against Carey in 2024 and 2022 received only 53 percent in those same areas. Rural counties including Pickaway, Madison, and Fayette also saw higher turnout than in 2022. Carey won a smaller share of the vote in these rural areas compared to previous years.
The mid-decade redistricting effort changed the 15th District's boundaries. U.S. Rep. Dave Taylor and former U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup represented parts of this area in the past. However, the section of Franklin County included in the current 15th District remained largely the same. The map change did not prevent Democrats from gaining ground in the suburbs and rural pockets of the region.
The three winners join five other reelected Democrats: Joyce Beatty, Greg Landsman, Marcy Kaptur, Shontel Brown, and Emilia Sykes. Seven Republicans retained their seats: Troy Balderson, Jim Jordan, Warren Davidson, Dave Joyce, Dave Taylor, Bob Latta, and Michael Rulli. Poindexter ran against Miller, who faced accusations of abusing his daughter and ex-wife. Miller denied any wrongdoing.
Leonard plans to change how his office serves constituents. He promised to create an app and open offices that resemble cafes. He aims to open one office in the Hilltop neighborhood, another in the south side of Columbus, and a third in rural Highland County. He stated that his team would work to solve problems for everyday folks by connecting them with state and local agencies.
Leonard hopes to secure a seat on the House Ways and Means Committee or the Appropriations Committee. He said he would push legislation to ban congressmembers from trading stocks and to craft new ethics rules for members of Congress in his first days in office.
