Amy Acton’s biggest challenge in the Ohio governor’s race may not be the Republican candidate standing across from her. It may be the political baggage she carries from one of the most turbulent periods in recent American history. Dr. Amy Acton entered Ohio politics with a reputation few candidates could match. Long before launching her campaign for governor, she became one of the most recognizable public officials in the state during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her frequent public appearances, calm explanations and role in shaping Ohio’s response made her a familiar face to millions. Now, six years later, that same history has become one of the biggest obstacles standing between Acton and the governor’s mansion. Acton, a Democrat and former director of the Ohio Department of Health, is preparing for a November showdown with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy.
The contest will be closely watched because Ohio has shifted decisively toward Republicans in recent years, making a Democratic victory an uphill battle. Acton is attempting to accomplish something Democrats have not done in two decades: win the governor’s office in a state that has increasingly favored the GOP. Ramaswamy brings considerable political advantages to the contest.
He has national name recognition, substantial personal wealth and a strong connection to the modern Republican political movement. But Acton faces another opponent that cannot be defeated with campaign advertisements or fundraising. That opponent is the memory of the pandemic. When COVID-19 reached Ohio in early 2020, Acton suddenly found herself at the center of the state’s response.
Working under Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, she became a prominent voice explaining the rapidly changing situation to the public. Her regular briefings attracted enormous attention, and for a time she was arguably one of the best-known public health officials in Ohio. For supporters, Acton represented competence and reassurance during a frightening period. They saw a physician attempting to make difficult decisions while the virus spread, hospitals prepared for surges and officials struggled with limited information.
For critics, however, the same period represented something very different. The restrictions introduced during the pandemic remain deeply controversial among many Ohio voters. Under DeWine’s administration, the state closed schools, restricted businesses and public activities, limited sporting events and took other extraordinary measures designed to slow the spread of the virus.
Follow @allchronologyOhio also postponed its 2020 presidential primary after concerns about the public health emergency. Those decisions were made during an unprecedented crisis, but the political debate surrounding them never completely disappeared. As Acton campaigns for governor, Republicans have revived those controversies and made them central to their attacks against her. The argument is straightforward: voters who believed pandemic restrictions went too far are being asked to consider electing the person who helped implement them.
Acton, meanwhile, has attempted to move the conversation beyond the pandemic. Her campaign has increasingly focused on issues such as affordability, healthcare, education, wages and the economic pressures facing Ohio families. She has presented herself as someone who understands the struggles of ordinary residents and wants to make the state more affordable for working people.
That strategy reflects the reality that the pandemic is both Acton’s greatest political liability and one of her greatest assets. Her experience gave her an unusual level of name recognition before she ever ran for office. Unlike many political newcomers, Acton does not need to introduce herself to Ohio voters. Many already remember her from the daily briefings that dominated television coverage during the first year of COVID-19.
The problem is that voters remember those days very differently. Some remember Acton as a reassuring medical professional who tried to guide the public through an unpredictable emergency. Others remember business closures, school disruptions, restrictions and government intervention. The emotional divisions created during the pandemic remain powerful, particularly in a politically polarized state.
That creates a complicated challenge for Acton. She cannot simply erase the most famous chapter of her career. At the same time, emphasizing it too heavily could remind voters of controversies her campaign would rather leave in the past. Her opponent is likely to make sure those memories remain part of the campaign. Ramaswamy has already positioned himself as a candidate willing to challenge government restrictions and criticize what he considers excessive government power. That gives him an obvious opening against Acton.
The contrast could become one of the defining themes of the election: a former public health official who became nationally recognized during the pandemic versus a Republican candidate promising a very different approach to government and individual freedom. Yet the race is about much more than COVID-19. Ohio voters are also dealing with rising costs, healthcare concerns, education debates, energy policy, infrastructure, jobs and the future of the state economy.
Acton hopes that focusing on those everyday concerns will allow her to build a coalition that extends beyond traditional Democratic voters. Her campaign has also emphasized her personal background and her experience outside traditional partisan politics. Supporters argue that she can appeal to voters who are tired of political insiders and want a candidate with professional experience rather than a conventional political résumé.
That argument could be particularly important in a year when voters are showing frustration with established political institutions. Acton’s running mate, David Pepper, also brings significant political experience to the campaign. The former Ohio Democratic Party chairman has deep connections in Cincinnati and among Ohio Democrats, giving the ticket an experienced political operator alongside Acton’s public-health background.
Follow @allchronologyStill, the fundamental challenge remains enormous. Ohio has become a difficult state for statewide Democratic candidates. Republicans have built a strong electoral base, and national political trends have reinforced that advantage. For Acton to win, she will need to persuade voters who may have supported Republicans in recent elections while maintaining enthusiasm among Democrats.
Her campaign therefore faces a delicate balancing act: acknowledge the past without allowing the pandemic to define the future. Acton can argue that the decisions made in 2020 should be judged in the context of what officials knew at the time. She can also point out that many of those decisions were made while she was serving under DeWine’s administration. But her critics are unlikely to let the issue disappear.
The November election will ultimately determine whether Ohio voters view Acton’s pandemic record as a qualification or a warning sign. For her supporters, it demonstrates that she has already faced extraordinary pressure, made difficult decisions and communicated with the public during a historic emergency. For her opponents, it represents precisely the kind of government intervention they fear.
Follow @allchronologyThat is why Acton’s most difficult opponent may not be Ramaswamy at all. It may be the lingering political shadow of the woman Ohioans remember from six years ago. The campaign will test whether voters are ready to judge Amy Acton on the issues confronting Ohio today—or whether the extraordinary events of 2020 will continue to shape their view of her long after the crisis itself has ended.
