FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 3, 2026
CONTACT: [email protected]
GOVERNOR ELECT DR. AMY ACTON: “I WILL BE A GOVERNOR FOR ALL OHIOANS.”
COLUMBUS, OH – Tonight, Governor-elect Amy Acton declared victory in the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election in remarks delivered to more than 1,000 supporters at the Hilton Columbus Downtown.
See below For Dr. Acton’s remarks as prepared:
Hello Ohio!
Thank you Ohio!
I am so honored to be here with all of you
And I am so incredibly honored that I have earned the trust of Ohioans
To be the next governor of Ohio.
Eric and I want to thank all of you for your support and love
Over the last two and a half years
But especially over the past few weeks-
It means the world to me and to my family.
This entire campaign has been a movement by and for the people.
This win is for every Ohioan
Who longs for public servants again,
who solve problems instead of make them,
Who do not mistake kindness for weakness.
And because of YOUR hard work,
Ohio has chosen unity and decency
Over division and hate.
The healing begins today.
We must never give up on one another.
This was a tough race.
But the campaign is over.
And I want to make something very clear to the people of Ohio-
I will be a governor for all Ohioans.
I am in this fight for all of us.
My promise to Ohio –
To those who voted for me and those who did not –
I will work with anyone and everyone
As I always have,
To make life better for Ohioans.
I am incredibly proud of the work I did with Governor DeWine,
and I look forward to continuing his work and steadfast commitment
to fight for Ohio’s kids.
I look forward to working with my colleagues in the legislature
on both sides of the aisle to ensure a smooth transition.
It’s time for a statehouse that puts Ohioans first-
Not special interests, corporations and billionaires.
This is a moment for courage
And fighting for something bigger than ourselves.
I’ve travelled this state for 2 ½ years
And listened deeply
Which I will continue to do as your governor
Hearing your stories, your hopes and dreams.
It has been an honor.
People in this state are struggling —
They’re working harder than they ever have-
But there’s no more breathing room.
From grocery and gas prices,
Rising utility bills
Ohioans are doing everything right
But they just can’t get ahead.
I hear this everywhere I go.
For me, this isn’t about party.
This is about making life better– for everyone.
I know what it’s like
for people to look the other way while you struggle.
As a child, experiencing abuse and neglect,
I never could have imagined
I would be standing up here, the next Governor of Ohio.
I am here today
Because of all of the Ohioans who refused to look the other way.
From the couple that pulled me and my brother up on their porch
To feed us on the way to school because they knew we were hungry
And every first responder, teacher, librarian and mentor
who lifted me, inspired me and gave me a fair shot.
That is what drives me.
The belief that everyone deserves to reach their full potential
This win is for all of us—
all of the scrappy kids who have been overlooked, underestimated or counted out.
This is my promise to Ohio –
No one will ever be unseen by me.
Tonight, my heart is full. I am filled with such a profound sense of gratitude and awe.
There are so many people I want to thank.
To my running mate, David Pepper –
Thank you so much for your relentless passion
And commitment to making life better for Ohioans.
How wonderful it is to have such an incredible partner for the work ahead.
To my scrappy, hardscrabble team,
who did the impossible every single day
And ran a campaign that led
With passion, hope and integrity.
We started with nothing, but you believed in me
And our mission.
Thank you for giving your everything for a better Ohio.
Thank you to every volunteer and supporter
Who gave your time, energy and heart to help us win.
And built a grassroots movement that proved that
Relationships matter, communities matter.
And to my brother, Phil –
You are the only person in the entire world
Who fully understands what we endured together growing up.
It was incredibly brave of you to stand up and share our story with the world.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for fighting for me.
I love you so.
To my family, especially to my husband Eric and our kids-
Love you forever and ever.
And most importantly, –
Thank you Ohio.
None of this would be possible
Without all of Ohio coming together and pushing back.
Because of you, this stopped being just another campaign
And became a movement.
I am so grateful to every one of you.
I have a deep belief in the resilience, grit and kindness of our state.
I wouldn’t be here without it.
Ohio, thank you for trusting and believing in me.
I trust and believe in you too.
It will take time to rebuild and create the Ohio we all dream of.
In the days and years ahead, I will be asking more of all of us.
We will heal this thing that has been broken
We cannot give up on one another.
Together, we can make life more affordable,
Together, we can take on the cost of corruption.
Together, we can build a state where everyone can get ahead.
I’ll work with anyone to deliver for our state.
But let me be very clear
I will be a relentless warrior for Ohio.
To those who want to exploit our state –
Do not underestimate this scrappy kid from Youngstown.
And do not underestimate the people of Ohio.
I love Ohio.
It has always been, and will always be Ohio.
We are the heart of it all.
For me, that’s what this race has always been about.
Putting the heart back into the heart of it all.
I want to build an Ohio that leads with integrity and decency,
where everyone can write their own story,
where every kid like me gets a fair shot.
I know I am not the only one in this room
Who has seen a thing or two.
But
Our stories-
Ohio’s story-
Is one of resilience
Of grit.
Of grace.
and yes,
Of hope.
Hope is what drives this movement
That when we’re in this together,
We can build the Ohio of our dreams.
Tonight, one journey is coming to an end.
But a new chapter for Ohio is beginning.
Tonight, let’s celebrate –
Tomorrow – let’s get to work.
Together, we will build an Ohio
Where no matter where you were born,
You belong
You can build the life of your dreams
And be whoever you want to be –
Maybe even Governor.
Thank you Ohio for trusting and believing in me –
I will be with you every step of the way.
Thank you!