COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dr. Amy Acton, the former Ohio health director who became a household name in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, says she is considering running for governor in 2026.
Acton shared her thoughts with reporters on Tuesday during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
“I’ve had experiences that I just want to give back, and this is the time in my life where I can do that,” the doctor and public health expert told cleveland.com. Acton, a Democrat, said she learned a lot about how the governor’s office works during her time in Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration, appearing alongside him at televised daily coronavirus briefings in early 2020.
“I’m always just focused on how I can best help,” she told the USA Today Network Ohio Bureau. “Of course, I’m not a politician. I’ve always joked that I’m the Ted Lasso of politics.”
In her role as the state’s health director, Acton found herself in the national and even statewide spotlight for a time.
She received praise from many for the way she combined expertise with a calming demeanor, reassuring residents huddled at home in fear of the deadly virus.
Acton also had her critics. During the pandemic, she exercised sweeping emergency powers with far-reaching effects. Her actions included pausing the state’s presidential primary, closing Ohio gyms and fitness centers, and imposing curfews while she and DeWine worked to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
She left the post after a grueling period of public attention, demonstrations, lawsuits and personal attacks, but never lost her interest in public service. Acton briefly considered running for the U.S. Senate in 2021.
Among the Republicans already preparing to run for governor in two years, when DeWine must leave office due to term limits, are Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost.
