STAT+: Ohio governor’s race is a battle over Covid, health costs, and trust in science
The race between Amy Acton and Vivek Ramaswamy could be the election’s most direct test of where the heartland stands on health care and the pandemic.
CLEVELAND — Amy Acton, the Democratic nominee for Ohio governor, was unable to speak at a campaign event along the banks of the Black River. The river, once notorious for catfish deformed by steel mill slag, was being rehabilitated to symbolize progress. Acton, a physician who led Ohio's response to Covid-19 in 2020, was running on the promise to do the same for state politics.
She was preparing to make her remarks at a Labor Day festival in Lorain when an incident occurred elsewhere in the state. In Canfield, about 90 miles east, a man armed with handguns, brass knuckles, and a Taser confronted Acton at a campaign event, knocking over an elderly couple. This incident came amidst a heated gubernatorial race that could serve as a pivotal test of public opinion in the heartland regarding healthcare, trust in science, and the aftermath of the Covid pandemic.
Acton's opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, a billionaire former Roivant CEO who ran for president in 2024, has made accusations of government overreach during the pandemic central to his campaign. STAT visited campaign events in August to gauge how Acton and Ramaswamy are addressing American health concerns and how their messages are resonating with Ohioans.
Acton maintains her stance on pandemic decisions, but is betting that Ohioans are ready to focus on healthcare affordability and access, as Affordable Care Act enrollment in the state dropped by one-third following the expiration of federal subsidies, the largest decline of any state.
Written by urgent.news from STAT News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
