Ohio could hold the key to national balance in Congress

In the end, it may all hinge on the Heart of it All, again.

After months of advertisements and campaign rhetoric, the election is almost here. As in previous elections, the road to control of Congress may run through Ohio.

According to the University of Florida Election Lab, more than 1.7 million Ohioans have cast ballots, including more than 1.1 million in person.

“It is heightened interest,” Aaron Ockerman, executive director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials, told The Columbus Dispatch. “The ad buying this year obviously has been record setting. That kind of activity really does drive more participation.”

The two most closely watched races are the governor’s race between Republican Vivek Ramaswamy and Democrat Amy Acton and the U.S. Senate race between Republican U.S. Sen. Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown, who voters kicked out of office two years ago.

Polls show that the Senate and gubernatorial races remain tight.

A late October poll from Suffolk University and the USA TODAY Network Ohio found that 47% of those polled said they plan to vote for Brown, 44% plan to vote for Husted, and 4% are undecided.

Meanwhile, 48% of respondents said they planned to vote for Acton, 44% plan to vote for Ramaswamy, and 3% are undecided. The governor’s race shifted from September, when Acton led Ramaswamy 50% to 41%.

The close races have prompted President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance to visit the state in recent weeks to campaign for Republicans.

.@JonHusted: "It all comes down to what happens tomorrow. Are you ready to go fight and win? Are you ready to fight for your country? Are you ready to bring everyone single person you can to the polls so we can achieve victory?"

GO VOTE OHIO! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/RkxnIUL21G

— Republicans (@Republicans) November 2, 2026

Hoping to amp up its base, the Republican National Committee said it has knocked on more than 4 million doors across the Buckeye State. It knocked on doors in all 88 counties in a single weekend in early last month.

“The RNC is delivering the largest investment in Ohio in recent memory, from the doors we’re knocking to the poll workers and attorneys we have in place to protect every legal vote,” RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said in a statement.

Last month, Gruters headlined a “Get Out the Vote” event with Lucas County Republicans supporting Derek Merrin, who is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur. He also joined Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou and the Republican candidates for several stops on their bus tour.

Republicans’ ground game is backed by a financial advantage over its Democratic counterpart.

According to a New York Times report, the RNC entered the fall with $126 million on hand. It has transferred more than $50 million through its partner groups, the NRCC and NRSC, whose largest coordinated ad buy is for Husted.

“Republicans are showing up, putting in the work, and taking nothing for granted,” Husted said in a statement. “That’s the kind of ground game that wins elections, and I’m grateful to the RNC for having our backs every step of the way.”

According to undercover videos obtained by Ohio.News, Democrats have privately expressed concerns about Brown’s lack of outreach to the African-American community. Brown has also faced criticism for turning to California to raise money for his campaign.

Conversely, the DNC reported negative cash on hand, including debt, for almost the entire cycle.

“While Democrats are broke and buried in debt, the RNC has the resources to drive voters to the polls and protect every legal vote in Ohio,” RNC Spokesman Hunter Lovell said in a statement. “Voters can trust that when the polls close on November 3, the RNC will make sure the rules are followed and every legal vote is counted. Sherrod Brown’s comeback is going nowhere.”