Latest news with #HeatherHill
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio governor's race in full swing with more than a year before election
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — There is still a year to go until the gubernatorial primary in Ohio and a year and a half before the 2026 general election, but even with all that time, the race for Ohio governor is well underway. Here's a quick rundown of everything that has happened so far: On the Republican side, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy is the frontrunner. Ramaswamy is endorsed by President Donald Trump and the Ohio GOP. Small business owner Heather Hill is also vying for the Republican nomination. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague both were part of the Republican primary but ultimately dropped out at varying points. Former Ohio Health Director Dr. Amy Acton is the only Democrat in the race right now. With so many twists and turns in the race already, we are still waiting to see, on both sides, who else will jump in and all eyes are on Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel. Ohioans spent nearly $80 million on cannabis last month, with clear product preferences 'I've never run anything, other than run for my life as a coach, maybe,' Tressel said. Tressel was asked by reporters on Wednesday, in every way possible, whether he will run for governor in 2026. Tressel did not give a clear answer, but instead reflected on his past jobs. He said he was an assistant football coach for more than a decade before thinking, 'Hey, maybe I could be a head coach.' So, by that logic, is his run unlikely? 'I don't know if I would say that,' Tressel said. 'If you would've asked, 'Is it likely?' I probably wouldn't say that, either. I just think we're studying.' Tressel said he is in the 'fact-finding, learning mode' to understand what goes into being Ohio's governor. Tressel said his conversations with Gov. Mike DeWine on the topic have been limited so far. 'The governor's busy,' Tressel said. 'He has always said all along 'There will be a day where we sit down and talk about these kinds of things, but until then, let's get to work.'' Columbus officer confronts school board after being denied access to school DeWine said Tressel is 'very independent' and will make his own decision. 'He's a true leader and he is someone who ultimately makes his own decisions,' DeWine said. 'He has a real, real great focus on the things that are really most important to the state of Ohio.' Tressel, though, said he does not have any clear platform right now. He said he would want to emulate the governor's priorities of safety and ensuring all Ohioans live up to their God-given potential. 'To me, those sound like nonnegotiable; you better do darn well at those,' Tressel said. 'Beyond that, I couldn't tell you any particular things. I am kind of an education buff, so I think that's pretty darn important.' Ramaswamy already has the endorsement of the Ohio Republican Party. 'I don't think an endorsement would impact, at least in my opinion, whether I would be interested in getting in the race or not,' Tressel said. 'It is my opinion that this is much too early to have an endorsement,' DeWine said. 'It's a year out from the primary and this was really an unprecedented time to do that.' Horror museum featuring haunted objects, 'last meal' restaurant coming to Ohio But Republican Central Committee members, who voted to endorse Ramaswamy, like Shannon Burns, said unity among the Republican party is essential. He called the committee's decision to back Ramaswamy 'decisive' and said it is 'disappointing to see our sitting lieutenant governor ignore that unified front.' 'Jim Tressel is a respected Ohio figure with a winning football record, but this race isn't about nostalgia—it's about the future of our movement,' Burns wrote. 'In today's political reality, name recognition means nothing without alignment to principle. President Trump and the Ohio Republican Party have all united behind the Vivek Ramaswamy's grassroots movement. That unity leaves no serious path—financial or political—for any campaign opposing it.' DeWine said endorsements are fine, but they do not decide elections. 'In our system, it's the people who show up to the polls,' DeWine said. 'It's the people who vote. Ultimately, this is going to come down to Republicans who vote in the Republican primary.' On Monday, when DeWine was asked whether he thinks Ramaswamy will make a good governor, he avoided the question. 'I'm not going to go any further in regard to the discussion today,' DeWine said. 'I think I've said what I want to say, and that is that Jim Tressel will make his decision. We have a long way to go, so, it's going to be a long year and a year is an eternity in politics.' On the Democratic side, Acton is the only candidate in the race right now, but others are being floated as candidates. Former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan is looking at a possible candidacy, and some say former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is another contender. Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said she is focused on leading her caucus right now, and getting through the budget, which must pass by July 1. But she did not shut down a possible governor or lieutenant governor candidacy. Ohio congressman introduces bill to study 'Trump Derangement Syndrome' 'I do not think my time in public service is done,' Russo said. 'But I have not made a decision about what it means for 2026. I promise you all will be the first to know if we do.' And as for all that is going on between Republicans right now, spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party Katie Seewer said it does not matter who the Republicans nominate. 'Regardless of who Republicans nominate, they can't escape from the fact that their handing over total control of Ohio's government to wealthy special interests has sent us on the wrong path for decades,' Seewer wrote. 'And that's why Democrats will win here in November.' The primary election is in May 2026 and the general election the following November. The new governor will begin their term in January 2027. None of the candidates have named a lieutenant governor yet. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio governor candidate meets with local voters
NILES, Ohio (WKBN) – A candidate for Ohio governor stopped in the Mahoning Valley on Wednesday. Heather Hill met with local Republican Party leaders in Trumbull County, greeting potential voters and answering questions. Hill is a political newcomer and comes from a military family. She feels that her position as a mother and foster parent gives her a unique perspective that will translate into politics. 'Right now, we're dealing with a crisis. We're in a housing crisis. We're in a crisis where families are having a hard time putting food on the table. We're in a crisis where our daughters are having to compete against transgender males. We have so many things that we're facing right now, and it's time for someone to bring common sense back to the governor's office, and that's what my plan is,' she said. At this point, she will be squaring off against Vivek Ramaswamy and Attorney General Dave Yost in the Republican primary a year from now. Meanwhile, Dr. Amy Acton is also in the race as a Democrat. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
2 NEWS speaks with Heather Hill on education, entering politics, connecting with Ohioans
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The election for Ohio's next governor may not be until next year, but the race is heating up as candidates start campaigning. 2 NEWS sat down with Heather Hill, one of the Republicans running for the position, to learn more about her background and the goals she has for Ohio. Heather Hill is a small business owner and the former school district board president from rural Morgan County. While she's new to politics, she believes this gives her a fresh perspective. Republican Heather Hill, Appalachian entrepreneur, is inspired by tragedies to run for Ohio governor Hill says if elected, she wants her administration to be approachable and down to Earth. 'I'm running because Ohio needs a leader who understands what it means to fight, to serve, and to work hard for everyday Americans like you and me,' said Hill. From rural Morgan County in southeast Ohio, Hill announced her bid for Ohio governor in November 2024 and officially began campaigning last month. In next year's primary, she's going up against Republican candidates Attorney General Dave Yose and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy. 'I am someone that's coming in with no ulterior motives. I don't have anyone in my back pocket, and I'm not in anyone else's back pocket,' said Hill. 'I understand all of these aspects that Ohioans are facing right now. I see the grocery prices, I see the gas prices I see, and I live those things every day.' 2 NEWS talks with Ramaswamy on candidacy, plans for Ohio if elected Having served as vice president and president on Morgan County's School Board, Hill says a big part of her platform is education. 'We're facing a horrible situation right now where funds have just been misused, and now we're at the point where we're about ready to lose our technical program at Morgan High School,' said Hill. 'I am mainly going to focus on restructuring our education system so that the the funds are in the correct places. They're not being wasted.' Hill also wants to focus on improving law enforcement training and mental health — issues she's deeply connected to after two of her foster children were shot and killed by police. 'Getting the funding to build a facility that will offer not only a live town experience, a live city experience, so that so that officers feel like they're equipped to deal with people that have mental illnesses,' said Hill. She also has plans for making housing more accessible and ensuring the state's natural resources are efficiently used. But most importantly, Hill wants to connect with Ohioans. 'An open line of communication with the voters,' said Hill. 'I am not going to put myself on a pedestal. I'm not going to refuse to talk to the voters.' Last week, 2 NEWS interviewed Vivek Ramaswamy to learn more about his platform. We have reached out to other candidates to learn more about their plans and are waiting to hear back. Stay with 2 NEWS as we continue coverage of the 2026 Ohio Governor's Race. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Heather Hill is running for governor of Ohio. Who is she?
Ohio Republican primary candidate for governor in 2026, businesswoman Heather Hill. (Photo courtesy of Heather Hill.) Appalachian businesswoman and political newcomer Heather Hill has jumped headfirst into the Ohio governor's race, running to secure the Republican nomination in 2026. She believes she has a unique perspective and would bring diversity to the highest office in the state. 'We need something different, we need someone better, we need someone that will literally fight for us,' Hill said during a one-on-one interview. She brings something new to the table, she said, noting that she is a Black woman from Appalachia. She lives in rural Morgan County, which has a population of less than 15,000 people. She's a small business owner and former Morgan Local School District board president. She was inspired to run out of a family tragedy, she said. Two of her foster children were shot and killed by police in two separate instances, she said. The respective police officers in each case, one in Columbus and the other in Blendon Township, had both been indicted on murder charges. Both officers pleaded not guilty, and the cases are ongoing. 'I started having a lot of people ask me if I'd be interested in running for office to try to bridge the gaps between law enforcement and our people with mental illness in Ohio,' she said. 'I accepted the challenge, and I'm going to work my butt off to make sure that Ohioans are represented in everything that we do in Ohio.' In our interview, Hill talked about her campaign, why voters should choose her, and her goals for the state. 'We really have to sit down and look at how things are affecting our families, how things are affecting our kids, how things are affecting our grandchildren, and we have to figure out what is going to be the best — and we have to figure this out together,' she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX We went through the major issues. On the topic of reproductive health care, she said that she is listening to Ohioans. 'I am 100% against abortion unless it is a medical necessity or in some kind of special instance, but I will 100% uphold everything that the voters have voted for,' she said. When it comes to marijuana, she said she wants to look into it more. 'I really believe there needs to be more research,' she said. 'We need to kind of button things down and make things tighter around marijuana, and that's one thing that I see our current administration doing.' On redistricting reform, she aligns with Gov. Mike DeWine. The governor has requested that the lawmakers adopt the Iowa plan to prevent gerrymandering. 'I am really starting to dig into what Iowa's doing, and they have some great framework that we can use, and they make that very public and they're willing to to sit down and meet with people,' she said. Another similarity with DeWine, she would also make education a focus of her administration. 'I believe education is our future,' she said. 'As a child that grew up in Appalachia and also had a learning disability, I completely understand how important and how vital it is to be educated, so that we can literally pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.' Some GOP leaders want to cut public school funding and prioritize sending state dollars to private schools. Hill seemed to support a new school funding system to help public schools, adding that some taxes from cannabis sales could be useful. However, she leans towards the private school voucher system, often referred to by Republicans as school choice. 'We need to give parents the opportunity to make choices that are in their child's best interest,' she said. 'I believe that we need to give parents more opportunities, everything that they need to make informed decisions about what's going to be best for their children.' Hill is facing off against two big names — businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who already received the coveted endorsement from President Donald Trump, and Attorney General Dave Yost, who has worked in politics for decades. There are also rumblings that Lt. Gov. and former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel is being encouraged to run. On the Democratic side, former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton has announced her bid for governor in 2026. Vivek Ramaswamy officially launches bid for Ohio governor in 2026 Ramaswamy only announced his run in late February, yet he has secured endorsements from Trump, statewide elected officials, many lawmakers, and dozens of law enforcement officials. 'Now, to the extent that we have a primary this year, I embrace that — I welcome it because competition breeds innovation,' Ramaswamy said during his announcement rally. 'I'll be conservative without being combative in this race, though, I will fight to win when necessary.' Ramaswamy officially announced his bid for Ohio governor Monday evening during a rally in Cincinnati. In a one-on-one interview with Yost, he warned about his opponents who have never served at the state level. 'This isn't a consolation prize or a place for on-the-job training,' Yost said. Yost said he isn't worried about his competition in the race. Ohio AG Dave Yost isn't worried about competition in governor's race. Here's why. The AG is the only one of them that has been in charge of a state agency, or multiple that is. During the conversation with him, he focused on Ramaswamy as his competitor, not Hill. 'The difference is I've been there, and I've done it,' Yost said. 'I have a proven track record — he's got a couple of books and some speeches.' Both Hill and Yost have to deal with a unique challenge, which is the businessman's money. He is a multimillionaire and can fund his campaign himself. 'I am not worried about money at all; Ohioans have come through for me from the beginning,' Hill said. 'I'm not in anyone's back pocket, and nobody is in my back pocket. All of my funding so far has come from business owners, entrepreneurs, and Ohioans that strictly want the best that they can have for themselves, their kids and their grandkids.' Financial reporting for campaigns only occurs every few months, so we don't have any insight into how much is in Ramaswamy's campaign fund yet. As of the end of January, Yost's balance is about $2.5 million. Hill reports $400. 'Do you worry that the political experience could be detrimental to your role as a newcomer in the state space?' we asked Hill. 'Absolutely not,' she responded. 'What I'm hearing from Ohioans — they're tired of the Good Ol' Boys club, they're tired of these career politicians.' She said she truly is someone who can relate to the working Ohioan, saying she would be available for constituents and work with people on the right and left. 'It seems like everybody has an ulterior motive, whether it's career politicians down to billionaire ideologies,' she added. 'We cannot keep running the state of Ohio with the same tired politicians that refuse to talk to the voters.' She hopes that Republican voters choose her to go up against the Democratic candidate in the 2026 general election. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Washington Post
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Republican Heather Hill, Appalachian entrepreneur, is inspired by tragedies to run for Ohio governor
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Thoughts of her two foster children shot and killed by police still wake Heather Hill from her sleep once or twice a week. The Republican entrepreneur from Appalachia says those nightmares, which at times leave her sobbing, helped propel her into Ohio's 2026 governor's race . 'It's just been overwhelming,' Hill, 49, said in an Associated Press interview. 'And I made every attempt to reach out to governors and senators and everything that I possibly could to bridge the gaps, and nothing was working. So, I said, 'You know what? I'm going to do something. I'm going to run for governor.''
