COLUMBUS (AP) — Dr. Amy Acton, the former Ohio health director who became a household name in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, says she is considering running for governor in 2026.
Acton shared her thoughts with reporters during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday.
“I have experiences that I just want to give back, and this is a time in my life where I can do that,” said the physician and public health expert. to cleveland.comActon, a Democrat, said she learned a lot about the workings of the governor’s office during her time in Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration, appearing alongside him at televised daily coronavirus briefings in early 2020.
“I always just focus on how I can best help,” she says. told the Ohio Bureau of the USA Today Network“Of course I’m not a politician. I’ve always joked that I’m the Ted Lasso of politics.”
In her role as the state’s health director, Acton found herself in the national and even statewide spotlight for a time.
She received praise from many for the way she combined expertise with a calming demeanor, reassuring residents huddled at home in fear of the deadly virus.
Acton also had her critics. She used extensive emergency powers during the pandemic with far-reaching effects. Her measures included Interruption of the state’s presidential primariesclosed gyms and fitness centers in Ohio and imposed curfews while she and DeWine worked to prevent the spread of COVID.
She left the job after a grueling period of public attention, demonstrations, lawsuits and personal attacks, but never lost her interest in public service. Acton briefly considered a candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2021.
Republicans already preparing to run for governor in two years when DeWine must leave office due to term limits include Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost.
