Republican State Leadership Committee: Ohio a critical core Republican-controlled chamber

The Republican State Leadership Committee has identified Ohio as one of the core Republican-controlled chambers that are critical to hold onto this November.

Republicans have a trifecta in Ohio, holding both the state House and the state Senate, as well as the governor’s office, which is likely to see a high-profile showdown in November between Amy Acton, the former director of the Ohio Department of Health, and Vivek Ramawamy, a billionaire entrepreneur and Cincinnati native.

In a Thursday memo to “RSLC Stakeholders,” Edith Jorge-Tuñón, the committee’s president, said that the RSLC and its affiliated political action committees “enter the second quarter of 2026 facing a political environment that is likely to be one of the most challenging for state Republicans in recent years.” Jorge-Tuñón identified Ohio as one of eight “Core Republican Chambers.”

“With national dynamics in a mid-term year increasingly shaping down-ballot races, state legislative contests are expected to reflect broader headwinds that have historically put the party in power at a disadvantage,” Jorge-Tuñón wrote.

While Republicans hold a trifecta, according to Ballotpedia, they saw a slight decrease in their House supermajority two years ago, from 67-32 to 65-34. All 99 House seats are up for election in 2026.

On the Senate side, Republicans saw their supermajority decrease from 26-7 to 23-9 with one vacancy, according to Ballotpedia. This year, 17 of the Senate’s 33 seats are up for election.

“Maintaining strength in states that receive less national attention is equally critical, as these legislatures form the foundation of Republican state power,” Jorge-Tuñón wrote. “These chambers represent durable governing majorities, deeply rooted political alignment, and a significant share of the party’s overall legislative strength nationwide, making them essential to preserving long-term balance across the map.

“Failure to fully engage in these chambers early could create openings that are difficult to close later in the cycle,” Jorge-Tuñón added.

Republicans won control of the Senate in 1984 and the House most recently in 2010.