For Amy Acton, politics has never been entirely divorced from medicine. Over the course of her professional life, she has worked as a hospital administrator, taught in the classroom, and worked in public health and community outreach, both within and outside the state. But the underlying theme that has remained constant is the question of what happens when a part of the population is unable to get the help it needs. That ethos now lies at the heart of the 60-year-old Democrat’s campaign to become the next governor of Ohio.

Acton first gained national recognition during the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the Ohio Department of Health, serving under Republican Gov. Mike DeWine. Now, she is hoping to convince voters that, despite the pandemic, she has much to offer as a pragmatic Democrat focused on healthcare, household budgets, jobs, and rural communities.

Part of that appeal lies in Acton’s humble beginnings. She grew up in Youngstown, in the heart of Ohio’s steelmaking region, and has frequently spoken about growing up surrounded by abuse and neglect, living in poverty, and even experiencing homelessness. She worked her way through high school, partly by cleaning houses, and then went on to college and medical school. Eventually, Acton found her calling as a pediatrician, a preventive medicine practitioner, and a public health administrator.

She also taught at Ohio State University. Acton works out of an office in Columbus and lives with her husband, Eric, a teacher and coach, in Bexley. The couple has six children. There is no official estimate of Acton’s personal wealth, although she is probably one of Ohio’s wealthiest residents.

Amy Acton's proposed policies explainedActon’s approach to the economy focuses on lowering everyday costs while changing how the state invests in its communities.

Improving accountability at JobsOhio is a priority, as are workforce development, job training, and support for small businesses, regional business groups, and the state’s critical infrastructure.

Another key point of difference between Acton and her Republican rival, Vivek Ramaswamy, is their approach to data centres. Acton supports a conditional moratorium on new projects, which would be lifted only when specific conditions are met. These include full recovery of utility costs, the use of union workers, environmental sustainability, community benefits, and job creation in areas undergoing redevelopment.

Acton has promised not to personally own any shares if elected. She has also used the issue to criticise Ramaswamy over his close ties to firms in the data-centre industry.

The Iran war has entered the political debate in Ohio through its impact on fuel prices. Ohio legislators voted for a temporary state gasoline and diesel tax holiday in response to record prices at the pump. The issue has affected both Acton and Ramaswamy, but the campaign has focused more on the impact on trade and the consequences for families, farmers, and business owners across the state, rather than making it a central election issue.

Acton’s greatest weakness remains her record during the pandemic, which Republicans are sharply criticising in the wake of COVID-19. At the same time, a recent campaign ad raised questions about her medical history and a 2019 confrontation with police. PolitiFact described the claims as misleading or lacking sufficient context to determine whether any lies were told. No charges were filed, and no arrests were made in the case.

Acton’s campaign will now seek to shift the focus of health-related politics in Ohio away from the pandemic and towards public trust in the competence of officials to ensure everyday affordability for ordinary citizens.