First In Line: Ohio

Ohio is one of the most important battlegrounds in the country in 2026. Dr. Amy Acton and David Pepper are running to take back the governorship. Sherrod Brown is running to return to the Senate. And Democrats are running for state legislature in record numbers – in part because of the support our Blue Ohio grassroots community has built over the years.

We're proud of that. But we're not stopping there.

First In Line is how we celebrate and support the Democrats who are running in Ohio's reddest districts right now – before the primary, before Blue Ohio's bathtub funding kicks in, and before anyone else is paying attention.

Every State Blue's Blue Ohio project funds nominees after the primary using our bathtub model. First In Line works differently. We get funds to candidates before the primary, as long as they don't have a primary challenger. If a candidate has a primary opponent, the winner will be added to the next round after the primary is over.

These candidates are giving voters a choice, forcing Republicans to spend money they thought they'd save, and turning out voters that lift Democrats up and down the ballot.

Our goal is $2,500 per candidate – enough for yard signs, postcards, and gas money – basics that make the difference between a real campaign and just a name on a ballot.

These candidates are showing up and running hard in some of the hardest places in Ohio. Let's make sure they know they're not doing it alone.

We fund in rounds: uncontested districts first, then Solid R, Likely R, and Lean R. Once a round hits its goal, the next opens. A candidate not listed may not yet qualify for this round, may still have a primary, or may not have an ActBlue page set up.

Your gift splits evenly among recipients. Click "customize amounts" to adjust.

Learn more at everystateblue.org/first-in-line