COLUMBUS, Ohio — After months of debate, former Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan will not be challenging COVID-era health director Amy Acton for the Democratic nomination for governor.

“After careful consideration, much prayer and reflection, and after long conversations with my family, my closest friends and advisors, I’ve made the decision not to run for governor in 2026,” Ryan said in a statement.

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Back in August, Ryan began considering a run to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine after former U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown decided to run for U.S. Senate rather than governor.

While he was debating, Acton set record-breaking fundraising numbers for a Democrat this early in a gubernatorial race and began collecting

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