Polling Average
20%15%10%5%0%
17%
11%
J. Tressel
Republican
Dave Yost
Republican
Dave Yost
Ohio Republican Governor nominee?
$2.0M
MAY 12, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleAttorney General
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age69 years old (Dec 22, 1956)
GenderMale
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LocationOhio
BackgroundAttorney
EducationThe Ohio State University (BA)
Notable personal detailsDavid Anthony Yost is an American politician and lawyer who served as Ohio’s 51st attorney general beginning in January 2019 and previously served as Ohio auditor of state from 2011 to 2019. He previously held local elected office in Delaware County, including county auditor and county prosecutor. He earned a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and a law degree from Capital University. He is married to Darlene Yost and has three children.
SourcesShowHide
ohioattorneygeneral.goven.wikipedia.orgwikidata.orgaxios.comapnews.comattorneys.lexinter.netbiography.wikifox19.comsearch-prod.lis.state.oh.usohiomfg.comwyso.orgwashingtonpost.comideastream.orgohiocapitaljournal.comwosu.orgwoub.orgjustfacts.votesmart.orgstatic.votesmart.orgsykes.house.govagriculture.house.govballotready.orgdemocrats-budget.house.govhusted.senate.govcongress.govgovinfo.govdocquery.fec.govoversight.house.govcommons.wikimedia.orgcreativecommons.orgupload.wikimedia.orgnga.orgfec.govncsl.orgjudiciary.senate.gov
Positions
LiberalConservative
Economy & Taxes
Supports eliminating Ohio's state income tax and advocates substantial tax-reduction measures while urging plans to avoid sudden fiscal disruption; calls for property-tax reform to address rapidly rising property tax burdens.
Healthcare
Dave Yost has acted to preserve key elements of the Affordable Care Act — including protections for people with pre-existing conditions — and directed legal work arguing that invalidating the ACA would remove coverage for many Ohioans. As attorney general he has emphasized protecting Medicaid dollars from fraud and supporting enforcement and training to protect vulnerable patients in long-term care and health settings.
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Immigration & Border
Dave Yost has taken positions favoring stronger immigration enforcement and expanded state authority to limit or criminalize unlawful entry, opposed sanctuary policies that restrict federal access, and pursued legal actions challenging federal nonenforcement and federal relocation of migrants. He has supported litigation to allow state enforcement of immigration-related laws and has called for reviews of temporary-protected-status designations and efforts to limit certain immigrants’ inclusion in census counts.
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
The candidate has defended and pursued enforcement of Ohio laws that restrict abortion, including appealing court rulings that found the six-week ban unconstitutional and opposing court decisions that block informed-consent and 24-hour waiting period requirements. He has said he will defend statutes passed by the General Assembly and has taken legal action to preserve restrictions even after a 2023 constitutional amendment protecting reproductive rights.
Climate & Energy
Dave Yost has repeatedly challenged federal climate and environmental regulations and supported policies that favor domestic fuel production and state authority over federal mandates. His actions include suing or seeking stays against EPA emissions rules and opposing federal climate-disclosure requirements while backing expanded access to E15 fuel. These positions emphasize limiting federal regulatory power and supporting fossil-fuel/market-oriented energy measures with some support for biofuel use.
Public Safety & Guns
The candidate supports strong Second Amendment protections and opposes federal efforts that promote aggressive enforcement of red-flag/ERPO programs while endorsing targeted enforcement against violent offenders who illegally possess firearms. He has promoted concealed-carry permitting benefits and backed measures to increase penalties for repeat violent offenders who use firearms.
News
AINews Summary
Last updatedJun 9, 2026
Dave Yost is leaving his post as Ohio attorney general, with Gov. Mike DeWine naming Andy Wilson to replace him starting June 7. The reports say Yost is headed to a role at Alliance Defending Freedom. He is also being mentioned in the broader 2026 Ohio election picture, where Republicans have already lined up behind Vivek Ramaswamy for governor and the attorney general race is drawing heavy attention and money.
ohioattorneygeneral.gov+33
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Polls
Ohio Republican Governor nominee?
Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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