The Ohio delegation
congressional officials …
Ohio is a diverse and electorally stable congressional delegation.
Of the 17 class members, four are female, and 13 are male. Three are minority representation through the end of the year. Seven are lawyers, one holds a doctorate, and seven have received Master’s degrees.
Three members of the Ohio congressional delegation are military, at least one of whom served combat duty. One member is a New York Times best-selling author but was elected Vice President of the United States and sworn into office in mid-January of this 119th Congress.
The average tenure for the delegation currently is 5.47 terms, assuming everyone completes their service by the end of 2026. The longest-serving member has been in Congress for 22 terms and is the longest-serving woman in congressional history.
Both senators and one House member are freshmen. Neither of the senators is up for re-election this season.
When you look at these profiles, we have given each a letter grade for their effort this Congress, based on various factors, which you will find in What Is Thomas Looking For? These letter grades are probably pretty familiar to you if you have ever been a school student (we hope the answer to that is we all have!)
If you see a meager score for a particular member, it will probably be due to one or two key factors: ethics challenges or anti-democratic behavior.
Republicans have been hit hard on their lack of push back on former and now current President Trump and their support of election denying in the 2020 presidential campaign. The unanswered soaring deficit on their watch, the dismantling of allied relationships around the globe, and opposition to funding anti-authoritarian initiatives. The denial of climate change weighs heavily on us as well. We make no secret that transparency and Government in the Sunshine are essential to us, and we further argue that some have been awful stewards of this category. For example, two current 17 Ohio delegation members voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results the same evening as Trump supporters stormed the United States Capitol. A third second-term member is a former Trump aide who continues to say the 2020 election was stolen.
Democrats have been hit hard for their lack of progress on critical matters because they control the United States Senate and have a razor-close margin in the U.S. House of Representatives. They have not been innovative or necessarily insistent on finding rational, reasonable solutions to the problems plaguing the American public today. We want to see more and better.
Both have been dinged for being too partisan and not collaborative where evident. In our opinion, being too doctrinaire and obstructionist to good government in the 21st century is unacceptable.
We also indicate what we believe might be the outcome of these Members’ 2026 elections today. The overwhelming majority of House members were re-elected in 2024.
Our prospect ratings fall into three categories:
Safe Bet - which means what it means. These members of Congress are running strong and look to be overwhelming prospects for re-election at this time. However, we reserve the right to re-categorize their chances if necessary.
It’s A Race - means this race is too close to call, and we can not reasonably predict who will win this seat.
Nudging - means the seat is leaning one way or another for this candidate. We have just a small number of current members of Congress in this category. Stay tuned!
So, would you like to meet these fascinating Ohioans? If so, keep reading on!
what is thomas looking for?
There are five vulnerable races Thomas is watching in Ohio for 2026:
OH01 - Greg Landsman’s seat (Incumbent D - Nudging D)
OH09 - Marcy Kaptur’s seat (Incumbent D - It’s a Race)
OH13 - Emilia Sykes seat (Incumbent D - It’s a Race)
the senators
Credit: US Sen. Bernie Moreno
United States Senator bernie moreno (R)
The senior senator from Ohio is freshman Bernie Moreno, a naturalized citizen who owns a car dealership network in the Buckeye State. A graduate of the University of Michigan, the married father of four serves on the Banking, Housing, and Urban Development Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and the Budget Committee.
Thomas Take: Not up for re-election in 2026
Thomas Rank: Too early to rank
Credit: US Sen. Jon Husted
United states senator jon husted (R)
Ohio’s junior senator was appointed in January 2025 to replace JD Vance when he was sworn in as Vice President of the United States. The state’s Lieutenant Governor at the time, Husted is serving on the Environment and Public Works Committee; the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee; and the Special Committee on Aging. Married and the father of three, the Senator graduated from the University of Dayton with both an undergraduate and graduate degree.
Thomas Take: Not Up For Re-Election in 2026
Thomas Rank: Too early to rank
the representatives
Credit: US Rep. Greg Landsman
district 1 - u.s. rep. Greg landsman (d)
Congressman Greg Landsman represents a district located in Cincinnati. A second-term member first elected in 2022, Congressman Landsman has an undergraduate degree from Ohio University and a graduate degree from Harvard University. He is a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee. Landsman is married and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Nudging Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 2 - U.S. Rep. David Taylor (r)
Congressman David Taylor represents southern Ohio and is a member of the Agriculture Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. A graduate of Miami University with a law degree from the University of Dayton, the married father of three is a freshmen member of the House.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: Too early to rank
Credit: US Rep. David Taylor
Credit: U.S. Rep. Joyce Beatty
District 3 - U.S. Rep. joyce beatty (d)
Congresswoman Joyce Beatty represents the Columbus area in the House where she has served seven terms. A member of the Financial Services Committee, and former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congresswoman graduated from Central State University and has a Master’s degree from Wright State University. She is widowed and the mother of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
District 4 - U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R)
A loyal ally of President Donald J. Trump who awarded fourth district Congressman Jim Jordan with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, has represented central Ohio in the House for ten terms. The chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Jordan has been accused of permitting abuse of wrestling team members under his watch as coach of the team while at Ohio State University. The Congressman is a two-time NCAA national champion wrestler. Jordan has a Master’s degree from Ohio State as well as a law degree from Capital University. His undergraduate degree is from the University of Wisconsin. In addition to his controversial chairmanship, Jordan also serves on the Oversight and Accountability Committee. He is married and the father of four.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: F
Credit: US Rep. Jim Jordan
Credit: US Rep. Bob Latta
district 5 - U.S. rep. Bob latta (R)
Congressman Bob Latta is a ten-term member of the House who represents the northwestern and north-central parts of Ohio. A graduate of Bowling Green University with a law degree from the University of Toledo, Latta serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, is married, and the father of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: B
district 6 - u.s. representative michael rulli (r)
The sixth district runs through eastern Ohio and adjoins the West Virginia border. The district is represented by second-term Michael Rulli who won in a special election from the resignation of seven-term Congressman Bill Johnson (R) on January 21, 2024. A former Ohio State Senator, Rulli is a musician and owner of a family-run grocery store chain. Married and the father of two, Rulli graduated from Emerson College. He serves on the Education and the Workforce Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli
Credit: US Rep. Max Miller
district 7 - U.S. rep. Max Miller (R)
U.S. Representative Max Miller is a former Trump aide who still advocates that 2020 was a stolen election but now he is in Congress. His district is in northeastern Ohio and he is a second-term member who serves on the Ways and Means Committee and the Space, Science, and Technology Committee. A graduate of Cleveland State University, the separated father of one was a corporal in the Marine Corps.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: F
district 8 - U.S. Rep. Warren davidson (r)
Five-term Congressman Warren Davidson represents the western Ohio district that was once former House Speaker John Boehner’s seat. A U.S. Army special operations officer, Davidson is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and has a graduate and law degree from the University of Notre Dame. He is married and the father of two. Davidson serves on the House Financial Services Committee and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: D
Credit: US Rep. Warren Davidson
Credit: US Rep. Marcy Kaptur
district 9 - U.S. rep. marcy kaptur (D)
Representing northwest Ohio in a district that borders Indiana and Michigan, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur is the longest-serving woman in congressional history now serving in her 22nd term. A member of the Appropriations Committee and the Budget Committee, the unmarried Kaptur graduated from the University of Wisconsin and has a graduate degree from the University of Michigan.
Thomas Take: It’s a Race
Thomas Rank: B
district 10 - u.s. rep. mike turner (r)
Twelve-term member of Congress Mike Turner serves a district in southwest Ohio and was chair of the House Intelligence Committee during this session of Congress but was replaced by Speaker Mike Thompson with the tacit recommendation of President Trump. He now serves on the Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. Congressman Turner is a former mayor of Dayton and graduated from Ohio Northern University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Dayton, a law degree from Case Western University, and a doctorate from Georgetown University. He is the father of two.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Mike Turner
Credit: US Rep. Shontel Brown
district 11 - U.S. Rep. shontel brown (d)
Congresswoman Shontel Brown is a second-term member of Congress representing Cleveland. She is a graduate of Wilberforce University and serves on the Agriculture Committee and the Oversight and Reform Committee. Brown is not married.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Democrat
Thomas Rank: B
district 12 - U.S. Rep. troy balderson (r)
Congressman Troy Balderson is a former businessman who represents central Ohio in the U.S. House. He attended Ohio State University and served in both the Ohio General Assembly as well as the Ohio Senate. A four-term member, Congressman Balderson serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee. He is the divorced father of one.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: B
Credit: US Rep. Troy Baldlerson
Credit: US Rep. Emilia Sykes
district 13 - U.S. Rep. emilia sykes (d)
A graduate of the University of Florida with both a Master’s degree and a law degree after graduating from Kent State University, married second-term member Congresswoman Emilia Sykes represents the Akron and Youngstown areas. Sykes is a member of the Science, Space, and Technology Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Thomas Take: It’s a Race
Thomas Rank: B
district 14 - U.S. Rep. dave joyce (r)
Congressman Dave Joyce represents the Lake Erie-Pennsylvania border area in northeast Ohio. The seven-term member of the House serves on the Appropriations Committee. He is married, the father of three, and graduated from the University of Dayton where he also earned his law degree.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: C
Credit: US Rep. Dave Joyce
Credit: US Rep. Mike Carey
district 15 - U.S. Rep. mike carey (r)
Representing all of Franklin County in the House, which includes the capital city of Columbus, three-term Congressman Mike Carey serves on the House Administration Committee; the Ways and Means Committee; and the Budget Committee. The married father of three graduated from Ohio State University. He is an Army veteran who also served in the Army National Guard.
Thomas Take: Safe Bet Republican
Thomas Rank: B