Sprague, Russo pick up secretary of state nominations, Merrin to face off against Kaptur

Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague on Tuesday won the Republican primary for secretary of state, defeating Air Force veteran Marcel Strbich, who positioned himself as an anti-establishment candidate.

Sprague will face off against state Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, who defeated Bryan Hambley, a Cincinnati doctor, in the Democratic primary. The winner will replace current Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

“I am profoundly grateful to the conservative Republicans across the state who have helped me win tonight. My North Star in seeking this office is to run the most secure elections in Ohio history, and I have an Election Security Plan that will achieve that,” Sprague wrote on X. “On to November!”

I am profoundly grateful to the conservative Republicans across the state who have helped me win tonight.

My North Star in seeking this office is to run the most secure elections in Ohio history, and I have an Election Security Plan that will achieve that.

On to November! pic.twitter.com/sj6R5FfFrD

— Robert Sprague (@RobertCSprague) May 6, 2026

Strbich also wrote to his supporters on X, telling them that even though “tonight did not go as we hoped,” he is still grateful because they had inspired and encouraged him and had worked hard to help him get elected.

“My heart is filled with gratitude. This campaign may be over, but our message for secure elections and a better Ohio will continue.   Tonight, my campaign for Secretary of State has come to an end, but I will continue to push forward the ideas that we hold so dear to our hearts,” he wrote. “You will soon be hearing more from me. Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are the best!”

To My Supporters,

Thank you! Tonight did not go as we hoped, but it was not from a lack of effort. You inspired me, encouraged me, and worked hard for me. I will forever be grateful for all that you accompished. My heart is filled with gratitude.

This campaign may be over,…

— Marcell Strbich (@marcellstrbich) May 6, 2026

In the Democratic primary for attorney general, Columbus-area attorney John J. Kulewicz defeated former state Rep. Elliot Forhan, who previously said that he would kill President Donald Trump via capital punishment.

“You have chosen a lawyer who is ready to restore the office of Attorney General to the people of Ohio,” Kulewicz said at an Ohio Democratic Party event after winning the election, according to the Ohio Capital Journal.

He also celebrated his victory on X, saying in one of his posts that “job’s not finished.” Kulewicz will face Republican Ohio Auditor Keith Faber in November.

Meanwhile, in the Toledo area, former state Rep. Derek Merrin won the primary election for the U.S. House seat, defeating state Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., and hoping to unseat U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, in the general election.

“I’m honored by the support we received from Conservatives across Northwest Ohio,” Merrin said in his statement, according to The Blade of Toledo. “Northwest Ohio is ready for fresh new leadership. That’s why we are going to defeat Marcy Kaptur this November.”

Williams responded to the news about his defeat by thanking “every voter, volunteer, and supporter who believed in this campaign and gave it everything they had,” adding that “this race was powered by hardworking people across Northwest Ohio who stepped up, knocked doors, made calls, and fought for a better future for OH-09.”

“I’m incredibly proud of the campaign we ran, reaching every corner of this district, from inner-city Toledo to rural towns like Hicksville. We showed that there is real energy and a real desire for change across OH-09. Thank you to everyone who stood with us and believed in me, a former homeless high school dropout,” he wrote on X. “Your support is proof that the American Dream is still alive and well, and worth fighting for every single day.”

In the Cincinnati area, Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman fended off a primary challenge from Damon Lynch IV, the son and grandson of two Cincinnati civil rights activists and pastors, picking up 68% of the vote. He will face off against Republican Eric Conroy, who won nearly 72% of the vote.

Last month, Republicans added Conroy to the 2026 “MAGA Majority” program, a nationwide initiative aiming to flip the map in their favor. President Donald Trump endorsed Conroy, an Air Force veteran and a former Central Intelligence Agency agent from Cincinnati.