Ohio’s elections head Frank LaRose announces bid for state auditor in 2026

COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Thursday, Ohio’s Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, declared his intention to run for state auditor in the 2026 election. This announcement is part of a recent series of strategic moves among prominent Ohio Republican leaders.

LaRose is a familiar face in Ohio politics, being among the state’s more recognized figures. With term limits in place that prevent him from running for another term as the elections chief, he had previously aimed for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. However, that pursuit ended in a loss during a three-way primary against Bernie Moreno, who subsequently won against incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown in the general election last November.

In his announcement, LaRose expressed his commitment to serving the state, stating that he has received significant encouragement from constituents throughout Ohio to consider the auditor position. In a video shared on the platform X, he emphasized that during his tenure, Ohio has established a “gold standard in trustworthy and accessible elections.” He pledged that, if elected as state auditor, he would apply the same principles of transparency, efficiency, and accountability to all governmental offices in Ohio.

At 45 years old, LaRose, a former state senator and U.S. Army Green Beret, is the last of Ohio’s five term-limited state executive officials to reveal his future aspirations. Meanwhile, Governor Mike DeWine, 78, has hinted that he will not seek re-election at the end of his current term in 2026. In the midst of the shifting political landscape, Attorney General Dave Yost has announced his intention to run for Governor, and Ohio Auditor Keith Faber is vying for Yost’s position. As LaRose positions himself to fill Faber’s role, current Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague is eyeing the Secretary of State position that LaRose will vacate.

Sprague recently withdrew from the gubernatorial race but indicated his support for former GOP presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, who is expected to announce his own campaign within the month.