CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Ohio Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel will not be joining the 2026 Ohio governor race.

He made the announcement Friday on social media , which you can read in full below.

“It has been an extraordinary honor of a lifetime for Ellen and me to serve alongside Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine. After considerable thought and prayer, we have decided not to run for Governor in 2026. I believe that our crucial opportunities in the areas of education and workforce deserve my full attention for the remainder of our term. My goal is to help finish the amazing work started by the DeWine-Husted Administration. Ohio is winning and it must continue! Alongside Ted Ginn Jr., we have launched the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge, serving over 182,000 students in Ohio schools. T

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