Ohio voters decide races in key House districts

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(The Center Square) – Voters in competitive congressional districts across Ohio headed to the polls Tuesday to decide races that will help determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives.

All 435 seats in the House are up for reelection in the midterms, with 218 the threshold either party needs to control the chamber in the 120th Congress. Republicans spent Tuesday defending a slim 218-214 majority, with one independent and two vacancies.

Republicans would need to hold onto all their current seats to remain in control over the next two years, while Democrats would need to net four seats.

The 2026 midterm cycle is the first under Ohio’s new congressional map, which was approved by the Republican-controlled Ohio Redistricting Commission in October 2025. That map created what appeared to be more Republican districts in the state.

Here are the results of the key races across Ohio.

District 1

U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, is projected to win Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, defeating Republican Eric Conroy. The Associated Press called the race late Tuesday night.

Landsman had 54.4% of the vote with 93% of ballots tallied.

Landsman has represented the Cincinnati area district in the House for two terms and won by 9.2 points in 2024. Trump-endorsed Republican Eric Conroy is an Air Force veteran and previously worked at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

District 15

Democrat Don Leonard is projected to beat U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, in the race for Ohio’s 15th Congressional District.

Leonard led by 7.2 points with 97% of the vote counted. The race was called by the Associated Press Tuesday night.

Leonard is a professor at Ohio State University and a political newcomer. Carey has represented Ohio in the House since 2021.

District 7

The race between U.S. Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, and Democrat challenger Brian Poindexter was too close to call early Wednesday morning. Poindexter led the race 53.8% to 46.2%, with 74% of the votes counted.

Miller was an aide in the first Trump White House before being elected to the House in 2022. After accusations of child and spousal abuse against Miller emerged, the race in the Republican-leaning district shifted to a competitive one.

Poindexter appealed to voters by leaning on his working-class background as an ironworker and apprenticeship instructor. He ran on his support of unions and raising the federal minimum wage.

District 9

The race between U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and Republican Derek Merrin was too close to call early Wednesday morning. Merrin had an 18.2-point lead over Kaptur with 48% of the vote in.

Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in Congress, having represented Ohio in the House since 1983, totaling 43 years. Merrin, a former Ohio state lawmaker, previously challenged Kaptur in 2024 and lost by less than 2,400 votes, according to the Ohio Secretary of State.