Chris Redfern
Chris Redfern
Ohio Democratic Governor nominee?
$46.9K
MAY 12, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleFormer State Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
Age61 years old (Oct 1, 1964)
GenderMale
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LocationOhio
BackgroundPolitician
EducationBowling Green State University — BA, Political Science
Notable personal detailsChris Redfern is an American politician from Ohio who served in the Ohio House of Representatives (first elected in 1998 and serving multiple terms) and was Ohio House Minority Leader beginning in 2003. He was chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, elected in late 2005 and reelected in 2008 and 2012, resigning in 2014. He previously served as an Ottawa County commissioner, beginning in 1993.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Supports protecting state funding for public schools and core services and has criticized large income-tax cuts or phase-outs that primarily benefit wealthy Ohioans; has called for using state funding to address public needs rather than enacting deep tax reductions.
Healthcare
Supports expanding public healthcare access and backed Medicaid expansion and state funding for public-health responses; has pushed for experienced public-health leadership and emergency funding for water- and algal-bloom-related public-health threats.
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Climate & Energy
Supports state action to address water-quality and algal-bloom problems in Lake Erie, has called for emergency and long-term state funding for research and mitigation, and has supported energy-efficiency investments in public facilities. Positions emphasize public-health protections, funding for studies and mitigation, and targeted clean-energy/efficiency savings rather than calls to phase out fossil fuels.
News
Chris Redfern is in the news as part of Ohio’s 2026 election coverage, with his candidacy tied to the confirmed primary field for major statewide races. Recent reporting also highlights the broader political backdrop around Ohio’s primaries, including voter registration deadlines and heavy campaign spending in key races like attorney general. There is also a new Ohio proposal to replace party primaries with a top-two system for statewide and legislative races, which could affect future contests.
Who qualified for the 2026 Ohio primary election? See names, key dates
two primary bill: what Senate Bill 382 would change
Voter registration deadline nears for the May primary, early voting to start April 7: What to know
Campaign support money grows along with profile of state attorneys general
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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