Ohio Democrat Don Leonard: ‘Democrats are going to fight for Somali Americans this year’

Ohio Democratic U.S. House candidate Don Leonard appeared in a video for a Somali-language television outlet outside a Franklin County early voting location, where he encouraged Somali Americans who do not speak English to cast ballots early for Democratic candidates, according to a recently shared video.

“My name is Don Leonard. I am running for Congress. We have Amy Acton running for governor. We have Sherrod Brown running to be your senator. We have folks on the treasury, secretary of state, state rep. Just know this, Democrats are going to fight for Somali Americans this year,” Leonard said in the video obtained and posted by the investigative journalist Laura Loomer.

Central Ohio is home to a sizable Somali community, and according to Loomer, a Somali Muslim woman wearing a burka stood next to Leonard and translated his message into Somali for voters gathered at the early voting entrance. The segment carried OSTV branding, identified in related coverage as Ohio Somali TV.

The Islamic takeover of America is happening in every state.

Early voting is currently underway in Ohio, where Ohio Democrat U.S. House candidate Don Leonard @DonforOhio just appeared on Somalia TV, begging Somalis who don’t speak English to get out and vote early for Democrats… https://t.co/n3BcKgtq4t pic.twitter.com/b8L8pOLkUw

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) October 18, 2026

Loomer also noted that Acton has been endorsed by state Rep. Ismail Mohamed, D-Columbus, a Somali Muslim, who introduced House Bill 562, which would establish a grant program, administered through the Ohio Department of Agriculture, to help public schools and universities provide halal meals. He has also pushed legislation to restrict immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations,” including schools.

Early voting is underway in Ohio ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

The gubernatorial race between Acton, the state’s former public health director, and Republican Vivek Ramaswamy remains competitive, with recent public polls showing a narrow race. Leonard is seeking the 15th Congressional District seat.

The appearance comes as the U.S. Department of Justice has charged three Ohioans with illegally voting in federal elections as noncitizens and amid an ongoing discussion of fraud within the state. Some allegations have suggested that “massive fraud” transpired “in plain sight” within Somali-led social service and welfare-related operations in Ohio.