The Democrat Party could focus all their efforts on one seat in 2026, as the "biggest opportunity" to win it has appeared.
Both Democrats in the state and nationally, according to NOTUS, believe they are in with a real chance of flipping Ohio blue after a series of poor election losses. Preparations for the 2026 midterms are already underway, with the Democratic National Committee already rolling out the red carpet for the state.
The DNC has promised additional funding for the state and is already staffing up to prepare their push to win Ohio with "dream candidate", Sherrod Brown. Ohio Democratic Chari Kathleen Clyde has since explained the plan for the Democrat Party is to go heavy on Ohio.
She told NOTUS, "We can’t just focus on a couple of states and expect to perform well nationally. When we look toward the 2026 midterm elections, we know that the path to taking the U.S. House and U.S. Senate back goes straight through Ohio.
"We definitely think that this coming cycle gives Ohio Democrats the biggest opportunity we’ve had since 2006." Ohio moved to the right in 2016 during Donald Trump's first campaign race, and the state fell further into Republican territory during the 2024 election.
Tina Maharath, a Democrat and former state senator, believes clarity is the issue the party faces in Ohio. She said, "There is no branding. We could win some ballot initiatives. Why can’t we win statewide? We’re not winning statewide because whatever messaging they’re shooting out there, it’s not connecting to the Democratic Party that is currently on the ground."
Ahead of the 2026 elections, Democrats are feeling confident, with DNC Chair Ken Martin saying the party can "win anywhere".
He explained, "When you organize everywhere, you can win anywhere. In Ohio, there are opportunities for Democrats to win across the ticket next year.
"The DNC is ensuring that Ohio Democrats have the resources they need to go on offense, reach voters, and build the infrastructure to win big in 2026 and beyond."
Both "dream candidate" Brown and presumptive Governor nominee Amy Acton are both leading by 1% over their Republican rivals, according to polling carried out by Bowling Green State University. Brown, however, trails by 2.5% on aggregated polling.
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