Ohio's 10th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 5 Democratic primary)
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← 2024
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| Ohio's 10th Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: February 4, 2026 |
| Primary: May 5, 2026 General: November 3, 2026 |
| How to vote |
| Poll times:
6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. |
| Race ratings |
DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026 |
| See also |
1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th Ohio elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 |
A Democratic Party primary takes place on May 5, 2026, in Ohio's 10th Congressional District to determine which Democratic candidate will run in the district's general election on November 3, 2026.
| Candidate filing deadline | Primary election | General election |
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A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Ohio law provides for closed primaries, meaning a voter must be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary. However, a voter of any affiliation can choose the ballot they would like to vote on the day of the primary, and their choice may be regarded as registration with that party.[1][2]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
This page focuses on Ohio's 10th Congressional District Democratic primary. For more in-depth information on the district's Republican primary and the general election, see the following pages:
- Ohio's 10th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 5 Republican primary)
- Ohio's 10th Congressional District election, 2026
Candidates and election results
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 10
The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Ohio District 10 on May 5, 2026.
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Candidate profiles
This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I was born and raised in Vandalia, Ohio, where I learned that responsibility, fairness, and service aren’t abstract ideas — they’re the way you show up for your community. Those values carried me from Vandalia Butler High School to Ohio Northern University to the University of Cincinnati College of Law, and they’ve guided me through nearly forty years of federal service. I never planned to run for office. I’m not a professional politician — in fact, that’s the last thing I ever wanted to be. But over the past several years, I’ve watched our democratic institutions strained in ways I never imagined. I’ve watched elected leaders look away when our democracy needed defending. And I realized that donating money and hoping for the best wasn’t enough. I had to step forward. For nearly four decades, I’ve served our country as a national‑security attorney. I’ve advised senior leaders at the Department of Defense on foreign military sales, international partnerships, multi‑billion‑dollar defense acquisitions, and the policies that shape our relationships with allies around the world. I’ve worked on programs that strengthen our alliances and keep Americans safe. I’ve led legal strategy for the F‑16, B‑1, B‑2, F‑15, Predator, and Global Hawk programs. I’ve negotiated precedent‑setting agreements with allies like Israel and Poland. I’ve represented the Air Force in high‑stakes litigation. And I’ve advised on politically sensitive issues affecting national security."
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "David Esrati is a Dayton-based veteran, small-business owner, and citizen journalist who has spent decades challenging corruption and rebuilding civic systems from the ground up. Born in Celina and raised in Cleveland Heights, he served in the U.S. Army (1981–1987), then earned a B.S.B. in Marketing from Wright State University (1988). Esrati founded The Next Wave Marketing • Innovation, a veteran-owned advertising and strategy firm, and has taught at the University of Dayton. Since 2005, he has published thousands of pieces of local reporting and analysis at Esrati.com—using public records, meetings, and court filings and his video skills to hold government accountable when traditional oversight fails. He also founded www.ModernPolicy.org and www.ReconstructingDayton.org to advocate for structural reforms that make government simpler, more transparent, and less captive to insiders—ideas like consolidating duplicative jurisdictions, modernizing elections and records systems, and designing tools that let citizens see where money goes and who benefits. Esrati has served his community through neighborhood and civic organizations, and he’s known for doing the unglamorous work: showing up, documenting facts, and pushing for reforms that protect taxpayers and restore trust. He loves dogs, riding things with 2 wheels, jazz and funk (he played sax growing up), good brisket and playing ice hockey."
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "Manuel Foggie is a lifelong Ohioan, public servant, and proud advocate for working families across Ohio’s 10th Congressional District. Throughout his life, Manuel has answered the call to serve, whether protecting his community as a certified firefighter, supporting crime victims in the justice system, or organizing community service efforts that bring neighbors together. At just 19 years old, he ran for Cincinnati City Council, becoming the youngest candidate in the city’s history at the time. That experience strengthened his commitment to standing up for everyday people and ensuring their voices are heard.Manuel has worked in the justice system, processing criminal cases at the City of Columbus Prosecutor’s Office, and later in estate planning and probate law at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Dayton. He is running for Congress to bring new energy and accountable leadership to Washington, focusing on local issues like good-paying jobs, affordable housing, and strong public schools.Manuel believes Ohio families deserve a fair shot, safer communities, and an economy that works for everyone, not just the powerful. He’s running to fight for Dayton and all of OH-10."
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "I served 31 years in the USAF, retiring as a Colonel. My career includes leadership roles in both the private and public sector where I was a consultant, director and VP before returning to the public sector as a professor to teach senior military and federal employees how to acquire large complex systems and to think critically. My life is about service and I'm still at it. Today most of my time is devoted to helping people navigate the Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security mazes This campaign is about character. The people of the 10th District are tired of partisan politics. They feel the USA is not being governed for them, but instead for the rich, well connected insiders who seem to be reaping most of the economic gains and who, when things go wrong aren't held accountable, but are shielded from the damage they caused while the general population continues to suffer. The District needs a leader who prioritize principles over politics; that has integrity; that believes in service before self; that can connect with all people across the District; that has the courage to say no to policies harmful to the people in District 10; and has the knowledge, skills and abilities to take on challenges associated with things like artificial intelligence, healthcare reform, economic and political reform. Now, more than ever, we need to bring more of our Government closer to home, back to the people it is intended to serve. And I want to be their candidate to do so."
Party: Democratic Party
Incumbent: No
Submitted Biography: "U.S. Air Force Veteran, Oncology Nurse Practitioner, and mom of two – Kristina Knickerbocker’s life has been dedicated to serving our country and our community. Growing up, Kristina and her family enjoyed church and volunteered with local food pantries. She learned the meaning of hard work early, juggling multiple jobs to put herself through school. Passionate about helping people, Kristina followed in her grandmother’s footsteps and pursued her nursing degree before joining the Air Force. Her service in the Air Force brought her to the Miami Valley. As a major and nurse in the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Kristina led teams to improve medical care for active duty, veterans, and military families. Her work was instrumental in developing and implementing solutions that directly resulted in better health outcomes and increased medical readiness for service members. To continue her service, she transitioned to the 445th Aeromedical Staging Squadron where she bolstered deployment readiness for both military and humanitarian objectives. While serving in the Air Force Reserves, Kristina found her passion while working at The Ohio State University Medical Center as a Neuro-Oncology Nurse Practitioner, helping cancer patients across the region. She has witnessed the broken healthcare system firsthand – from understaffed facilities to skyrocketing premiums and prescription costs that force patients to choose between treatment and groceries."
Voting information
- See also: Voting in Ohio
Campaign finance
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janice Beckett | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| David Esrati | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Manuel Foggie | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Jan Kinner | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Kristina Knickerbocker | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Tony Pombo | Democratic Party | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
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Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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District analysis
Click the tabs below to view information about voter composition, past elections, and demographics in both the district and the state.
- District map - A map of the district before and after redistricting ahead of the 2026 election.
- Competitiveness - Information about the competitiveness of 2026 U.S. House elections in the state.
- Presidential elections - Information about presidential elections in the district and the state.
- State party control - The partisan makeup of the state's congressional delegation and state government.
Below is the district map used in the 2024 election next to the map in place for the 2026 election. Click on a map below to enlarge it.
2024
2026
This section contains data on U.S. House primary election competitiveness in Ohio.
Post-filing deadline analysis
The following analysis covers all U.S. House districts up for election in Ohio in 2026. Information below was calculated on Feb. 4, 2026, and may differ from information shown in the table above due to candidate replacements and withdrawals after that time.
Seventy-eight candidates — 46 Democrats and 32 Republicans — ran for Ohio’s 15 U.S. House districts. That’s 5.2 candidates per district. There were 4.1 candidates per district in 2024, 4.5 in 2022, 4.2 in 2020, 5.1 in 2018, 3.7 in 2016, and 2.9 in 2014.
These were the first elections to take place since the Ohio Redistricting Commission voted unanimously to approve a new congressional map for 2026. The state was required to redraw its congressional district boundaries ahead of the 2026 elections due to a constitutional amendment that gave shorter expiration dates to maps passed without bipartisan support.
No districts were open in 2026, meaning all incumbents — five Democrats and 10 Republicans — ran for re-election. There were two open districts in 2024, one in 2022, two in 2018, one in 2016, and none in 2014.
Twenty primaries — 12 Democratic and eight Republican — were contested in 2026. In total, there were 12 contested primaries in 2024, 10 in 2022, 23 in 2020, 22 in 2018, 18 in 2016, and 14 in 2014.
Rep. Max Miller (R-7th) and eight Democrats ran for the 7th district, the most candidates that ran for a district in 2026.
Seven incumbents — three Democrats and four Republicans — faced primary challengers in 2026. There were four incumbents in a contested primary in 2024, six in 2022, 10 in 2020, eight in 2018, four in 2016, and five in 2014.
Candidates filed to run in the Republican and Democratic primaries in all 15 districts, meaning no districts were guaranteed to either party.Partisan Voter Index
Heading into the 2026 elections, based on results from the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections, the Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district is R+3. This meant that in those two presidential elections, this district's results were 3 percentage points more Republican than the national average. This made Ohio's 10th the 204th most Republican district nationally.[3]
2020 presidential election results
The table below shows what the vote in the 2024 presidential election was in this district. The presidential election data was compiled by The Downballot.
Kamala Harris  | Donald Trump  |
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| 44.7% | 54.5% |
Presidential voting history
- See also: Presidential election in Ohio, 2024
Ohio presidential election results (1900-2024)
- 12 Democratic wins
- 19 Republican wins
| Year | 1900 | 1904 | 1908 | 1912 | 1916 | 1920 | 1924 | 1928 | 1932 | 1936 | 1940 | 1944 | 1948 | 1952 | 1956 | 1960 | 1964 | 1968 | 1972 | 1976 | 1980 | 1984 | 1988 | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winning Party | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | D | D | D | R | D | R | R | R | D | R | R | D | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | D | D | R | R | R |
- See also: Party control of Ohio state government
Congressional delegation
The table below displays the partisan composition of Ohio's congressional delegation as of October 2025.
| Congressional Partisan Breakdown from Ohio | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | U.S. Senate | U.S. House | Total |
| Democratic | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Republican | 2 | 10 | 12 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vacancies | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 2 | 15 | 17 |
State executive
The table below displays the officeholders in Ohio's top four state executive offices as of October 2025.
| Office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Governor | Richard Michael DeWine |
| Lieutenant Governor | Jim Tressel |
| Secretary of State | Frank LaRose |
| Attorney General | Dave Yost |
State legislature
Ohio State Senate
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 9 | |
| Republican Party | 24 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 33 | |
Ohio House of Representatives
| Party | As of October 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 34 | |
| Republican Party | 65 | |
| Other | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 99 | |
Trifecta control
Ohio Party Control: 1992-2025
No Democratic trifectas • Twenty-seven years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| Senate | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
| House | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R |
Ballot access
The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Ohio in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Ohio, click here.
| Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | Office | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Ohio | U.S. House | Major party | 50 | $85 | 2/4/2026 | Source |
| Ohio | U.S. House | Minor party | 25 | $85 | 2/4/2026 | Source |
| Ohio | U.S. House | Unaffiliated | 1% of the vote cast for governor in the district in the last election | $85 | 5/4/2026 | Source |
See also
- Ohio's 10th Congressional District election, 2026 (May 5 Republican primary)
- Ohio's 10th Congressional District election, 2026
- United States House elections in Ohio, 2026 (May 5 Democratic primaries)
- United States House elections in Ohio, 2026 (May 5 Republican primaries)
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2026
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2026
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2026
- U.S. House battlegrounds, 2026
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ohio Laws and Administrative Codes, "Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3513.19," accessed December 19, 2025
- ↑ Ohio Laws and Administrative Codes, "Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3513.05," accessed December 19, 2025
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)," accessed July 1, 2025
