Ohio voters chose congressional representatives in battleground districts across the state Tuesday, tipping control of the U.S. House of Representatives in Democrats’ favor.
Democrats flipped control of the House in Tuesday’s midterms, surpassing the 218-seat threshold needed to win the chamber. Democrats held 228 seats compared to Republicans’ 139, with 68 races still undecided, according to the Associated Press’ count Wednesday morning.
Tuesday’s election was the first test for Ohio’s new congressional map, which was approved last year. The state was required to undergo mid-decade redistricting after the previous map passed without support from Democrats.
Republicans, who control the Ohio Redistricting Commission, redrew the maps with a nod toward creating more heavily-Republican districts and moving the state’s congressional delegation from a 10-5 GOP advantage to a 12-3 lead.
That backfired Tuesday as Democrats won all four competitive races and now seats are split 7-7, with District 10 just unsettled.
In District 10, Democrat Kristinia Knickerbocker holds a 5,000 vote lead over Republican incumbent Mike Tuner with 98% of the vote counted. Knickerbocker claimed victory, but the race has not been called.
Here are the results of some of the most competitive races across the state.
District 7
Democrat Brian Poindexter defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District.
Poindexter had 54.9% of the vote with 99% of ballots counted. The Associated Press called the race early Wednesday morning.
Miller represented the Cleveland area district in the House for two terms. His reelection campaign was plagued by accusations of child and spousal abuse made by his ex-wife, and the race in the Republican-leaning district was shifted to a “toss up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.
Poindexter, a union ironworker, said his first priority if elected to Congress would be union legislation. He also campaigned on raising the federal minimum wage and opposition to the Trump administration’s tariff policies.
Poindexter jumped ahead of Miller in fundraising in the final stretch of his campaign. He reported $3.72 million in funds raised, compared to Miller’s $3.32 million, according to the Federal Election Commission.
District 1
U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, won his reelection bid in the 1st Congressional District, according to the Associated Press. He beat Republican challenger Eric Conroy with 54.4% of the vote, with 98% reported.
Landsman is a two-term congressman and previously won reelection by 9.2 points in 2024. Conroy, an Air Force Veteran and former Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officer, was endorsed by President Donald Trump.
District 9
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, won the race in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, pulling in 52.7% of the vote with 98% of ballots counted. The race was called by the Associated Press early Wednesday morning.
Kaptur defeated Republican Derek Merrin, who previously challenged her in 2024 and lost by less than one percentage point. She has represented the 9th District for 43 years and is the longest-serving woman in Congress.
District 15
Democrat challenger Don Leonard defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, R-Ohio, in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District. Leonard had 51.9% of the vote with 98% counted.
Leonard, a political newcomer, teaches city and regional planning at Ohio State University. Carey has represented the 15th District since 2021.