Former state Rep. Kathleen Clyde will lead the Ohio Democratic Party as candidates prepare for 2026 and seek to break the Republican Party’s hold on Ohio.
The Democrats’ executive committee tapped Clyde to replace former party chair Liz Walters, who resigned to become CEO of a political data firm in Washington, D.C. The shakeup came months after a brutal election for Ohio Democrats, leaving state Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner as the only Democrat in statewide office.
Despite past defeats, Clyde believes the party has an opportunity to capitalize on backlash against President Donald Trump and reclaim power in 2026. In her new role, she’ll help recruit and support candidates, raise money and organize get-out-the-vote efforts.
“Democrats need to unify around a message that shows what these harmful policies coming out of Washington and the statehouse mean for our economy, our health care, social security,” Clyde told the statehouse bureau ahead of the June 10 vote. “We need to offer a compelling message about what Democrats do when they’re in power.”
Kathleen Clyde, a former state representative and Portage County commissioner, speaks during a press conference in Columbus in 2018.
Clyde, a Portage County native who lives in Columbus, was once considered a rising star in the Ohio Democratic Party. She served four terms in the Ohio House and unsuccessfully ran for secretary of state in 2018. After that, she was appointed to the Portage County Board of Commissioners, but lost when she ran for her seat two years later.
Clyde had the backing of former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who Democrats hope will run for governor or U.S. Senate in 2026. Several Democrats challenged Clyde in the race for chair, but her biggest rival − state Sen. Bill DeMora of Columbus − dropped out before the vote.
DeMora said he wasn’t supporting any remaining candidates, including Clyde.
As party chair, Clyde said she wants to tackle urban, suburban and rural areas with different strategies and work with county parties to meet voters where they are. She said Democrats also need to address depressed turnout in Ohio’s largest cities and ensure they listen to the needs of Black voters who abandoned the party.
“I feel confident that we can come together as Democrats and focus on the work ahead of turning the state around and winning at all levels of government for the working people and putting the needs of Ohioans first,” Clyde said.
State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@gannett.com or @haleybemiller on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kathleen Clyde to lead Ohio Democratic Party for 2026 election