Incumbents in three northern Ohio Congressional races are headed to the November ballot.
U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli beat a Republican primary challenger in the 6th District. Fellow Republican Bob Latta, who represents Ohio's 5th District, and Democrat Emilia Sykes who represents Ohio's 13th District, were both unopposed in the primary.
Overcoming a challenger in the 6th
U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli will be the Republican candidate this November after defeating his lone primary challenger, Jullie Kelley, with 76.7% of the vote according to unofficial election results.
Rulli, a Salem resident, won a special election in June 2024 and was elected to a two-year term in November 2024.
He’ll face Elizabeth Kirtley, who defeated five opponents to secure the Democratic nomination.
The district is considered solidly Republican, according to analysts. It stretches from southern Stark County to the Pennsylvania border and south to Belmont County. It includes the communities of Massillon, Wooster, Youngstown, New Philadelphia and Cadiz.
Rulli previously served in the Ohio Senate and was director of operations for his family’s century-old grocery business, Rulli Bros. Market.
As Congressman, he focused on fiscal issues, including serving on the DOGE caucus that helped eliminate “wasteful federal programs,” according to his website. He recently introduced the HALO Act, which would establish criminal penalties for individuals that stand within 25 feet of an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officer “in the line of duty,” after a verbal warning.
His primary opponent, Kelley, lives in Monroe. She previously ran unsuccessfully for a trustee position in the Carroll County township. She focused her primary campaign on government transparency and public trust.
Kirtley defeated a crowded slate of Democratic candidates: Sean Connolly, a small business owner from Canfield; Charles DiPalma of Steubenville; Brent Hanni, a Youngstown resident and fiscal officer for the Mahoning County Clerk of Courts; Malcolm Ritchie, a U.S. Army veteran of Tuscarawas County; and Adrian Vitus, a Youngstown native who previously worked for the government as a USAID director before his job was eliminated due to federal cuts last year.
Kirtley’s priorities include abolishing immigration and customs enforcement, codifying abortion rights and universal healthcare, according to her campaign website. She lives in New Philadelphia.
In the 5th, facing a 20-year veteran of the House
In Ohio’s 5th Congressional District, Democrat Brian Shaver will face Rep Bob Latta in November, The Associated Press is reporting.
Shaver defeated three Democrats for the chance to unseat Latta, who has served in the U.S. House since 2007.
The district is considered solidly Republican according to the Cook Political Report. It stretches from Lorain County to the Indiana border, south of Ohio, 9th District, and includes Elyria, Findlay, Norwalk, Bowling Green and Van Wert.
Latta, of Bowling Green, is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He’s sponsored legislation that tackled the opioid crisis, as well as drinking water and energy. Other priorities include reducing government spending and maintaining a strong national defense, according to his website.
Shaver is the president of of Fostoria City Council in Seneca County. He received 28.7% of the vote, narrowly edging out the other three candidates: Daniel Burket, a small business owner; Martin Heberling III, a K-12 teacher and union leader; and Scott Tabor of Columbia Township, a union sheet metal worker and previous owner of a Cleveland restaurant.
A shift from a toss-up district in the 13th
Republican Carey Coleman defeated four opponents to face Rep. Emilia Sykes in November.
The district was considered a toss-up in years’ past but became Democrat-leaning after districts were redrawn in 2025, according to the Cook Political Report.
It includes all of Summit County and parts of Stark and Portage counties, including Canton, Streetsboro, Kent and Louisville.
As the vice ranking member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Sykes has focused on infrastructure improvements, healthcare and the economy during her time in Congress. She has served since 2023 and was a member of the Ohio House for eight years before that.
Coleman defeated four candidates: Margaret Briem, a Summit County resident and U.S. Army veteran; Kevin Siembida, mayor of Leetonia Village in Columbiana County; Sanjin Drakovac, a medical researcher; and Neil Patel, a businessman in the hospitality industry and insurance agent focused on job creation and healthcare access.
Coleman is a former radio talk show host for WNIR-FM. He also previously worked as a television meteorologist both nationally and in Cleveland. He prioritizes “common-sense values rooted in faith, freedom, and personal responsibility,” according to his campaign website.
All results are considered unofficial until they're certified by Boards of Elections in the coming weeks.
