Incumbent
OH-05 Republican nominee?
$3.4K
MAY 6, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleU.S. Representative
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age70 years old (Apr 18, 1956)
GenderMale
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LocationOhio
BackgroundAttorney
EducationBowling Green State University (B.A., 1978)
Notable personal detailsRobert Edward (Bob) Latta is a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Ohio’s 5th Congressional District since winning a 2007 special election. Before Congress, he served as a Wood County commissioner and as a member of the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives. He is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and has served as a subcommittee chair. He earned a B.A. from Bowling Green State University and a J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law.
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Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports significant tax cuts and tax reform to reduce tax burdens on families, small businesses, and manufacturers; has voted for and publicly praised major Republican tax-cut legislation and budget reconciliation efforts that provide tax relief. Advocates reducing government spending alongside tax relief as a means to strengthen the economy.
Healthcare
Opposes the Affordable Care Act and has supported legislative steps to reduce ACA mandates while emphasizing support for rural hospitals and targeted federal programs. Voting and advocacy record shows preference for market-oriented reforms and repeal or rollback of parts of the ACA rather than expansion of government-run coverage.
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Immigration & Border
Supports stronger border security and enforcement measures while opposing more permissive immigration policies. Has participated in congressional border visits and holds a voting record aligned with restrictionist immigration positions.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Opposes expanded access to abortion and has backed measures to restrict abortion access, including actions against mail-order chemical abortion and support for bans such as partial-birth abortion prohibitions. Public statements and endorsements by pro-life groups indicate a consistently pro-life, restriction-focused position.
Climate & Energy
Bob Latta emphasizes ‘‘American energy dominance’’ and expanding domestic energy production, including support for fossil fuel infrastructure, coal baseload reliability, and increased oil refining and nuclear fuel capacity while arguing against strict federal regulations that he says raise energy costs. He has sponsored and spoken for legislation and subcommittee actions aimed at strengthening the electric grid, boosting domestic fuel production, and facilitating nuclear fuel and coal-related policies.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate opposes major federal gun-control measures and frames expanded background checks and related rules as infringements on Second Amendment rights. He has cosponsored resolutions opposing international arms restrictions and voted to overturn executive actions that would expand firearm regulation. His statements emphasize enforcing existing laws and prioritizing mental-health and law-enforcement responses over new federal firearms limits.
News
Bob Latta is in the news because Ohio’s 5th congressional district is heading into a contested primary ahead of the 2026 House election. The district is one of several Ohio House seats with active primary competition as early voting gets underway under new election rules. The reporting does not give many details about Latta’s specific campaign moves, but it shows he is part of a broader set of competitive races in the state.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262022
2024
2026
LatestCycle 2022
Cycle 2024
Cycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements