2018 Ohio gubernatorial election

The 2018 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 6, 2018, to elect the next governor of Ohio, concurrently with the election of Ohio's Class I U.S. Senate seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various Ohio and local elections. Incumbent Republican Governor John Kasich was term-limited and could not seek re-election for a third consecutive term.

Republicans nominated Ohio Attorney General and former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine, while Democrats nominated former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director and former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray. This was the second contest between DeWine and Cordray, following the 2010 attorney general election, which DeWine won, 47.5% to 46.3%.

In 2018, DeWine defeated Cordray 50.4% to 46.7%, in what was considered a minor upset. Despite Cordray's loss, he became the first Democratic gubernatorial candidate to win Cincinnati's Hamilton County since Dick Celeste in 1982. Likewise, DeWine became the first Republican to win in the historically Democratic Monroe County in a gubernatorial election since 2002 as the county took a sharp turn to the right. With Democratic senator Sherrod Brown winning re-election in the same year, this was the first election since 1974 in which Ohio simultaneously voted for a gubernatorial nominee and a U.S. Senate nominee of opposite parties.

DeWine and Husted took office on January 14, 2019.

Nominated

 * Mike DeWine, Ohio Attorney General, former U.S. Senator, former lieutenant governor of Ohio, and former U.S. Representative
 * Running mate: Jon Husted, Ohio Secretary of State and former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives

Eliminated in primary

 * Mary Taylor, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
 * Running mate: Nathan Estruth, businessman

Withdrew

 * Jon A. Husted, Ohio Secretary of State (running for lieutenant governor)
 * Jim Renacci, U.S. Representative (running for the U.S. Senate)
 * Running mate: Amy Murray, Cincinnati Councilwoman

Nominated

 * Richard Cordray, former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, former Ohio Attorney General, former Ohio State Treasurer, nominee for OH-15 in 1992, nominee for Attorney General in 1998, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2000
 * Running mate: Betty Sutton, former U.S. Representative

Eliminated in primary

 * Larry Ealy, former male stripper and candidate for governor in 2014
 * Running mate: Jeffrey Lynn
 * Dennis Kucinich, former U.S. Representative, former mayor of Cleveland, candidate for Secretary of State in 1982, and candidate for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008
 * Running mate: Tara Samples, Akron City Councilwoman
 * Bill O'Neill, Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and nominee for OH-14 in 2008 and 2010
 * Running mate: Chantelle Lewis, elementary school principal and former East Cleveland City Councilwoman
 * Paul Ray
 * Running mate: Jerry Schroeder
 * Joe Schiavoni, state senator and former Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate
 * Running mate: Stephanie Dodd, State Board of Education Member

Failed to qualify for ballot

 * Jon Heavey, physician
 * Dave Kiefer, former Wayne County Commissioner and Republican candidate for state representative in 2016

Withdrew

 * Connie Pillich, former state representative and nominee for Ohio State Treasurer in 2014 (endorsed Richard Cordray)
 * Running mate: Scott Schertzer, Mayor of Marion, OH
 * Betty Sutton, former U.S. Representative (running for lieutenant governor)
 * Nan Whaley, Mayor of Dayton (endorsed Richard Cordray)

Nominated

 * Travis Irvine, filmmaker and writer
 * Running mate: Todd Grayson

Withdrew

 * Bruce Jaynes, entrepreneur
 * Stephen Quinn, student

Nominated

 * Constance Gadell-Newton, attorney, co-chair of the Ohio Green Party and nominee for the State House in 2016
 * Running mate: Brett R. Joseph

Candidates

 * Richard Cordray (Democratic), former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, former Ohio Attorney General and former Ohio State Treasurer
 * Running mate: Betty Sutton, former U.S. Representative
 * Mike DeWine (Republican), Ohio Attorney General and former U.S. Senator
 * Running mate: Jon A. Husted, Secretary of State of Ohio and former Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives
 * Constance Gadell-Newton (Green), attorney, co-chair of the Ohio Green Party and nominee for the State House in 2016
 * Running mate: Brett R. Joseph, attorney, educator and small businessman
 * Travis Irvine (Libertarian)
 * Running mate: Todd Grayson, former Perrysburg City Councilman

Predictions

 * Notes

Polling

 * with DeWine and Kucinich


 * with DeWine and Pillich


 * with Jon Husted


 * with generic Republican and Democrat

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

 * Monroe (largest city: Woodsfield)

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

 * Cuyahoga (largest city: Cleveland)
 * Franklin (largest city: Columbus)
 * Hamilton (largest city: Cincinnati)
 * Lorain (largest city: Lorain)
 * Lucas (largest city: Toledo)
 * Mahoning (largest city: Youngstown)
 * Summit (largest city: Akron)
 * Trumbull (largest city: Warren)

By congressional district
DeWine won 12 of 16 congressional districts.