Johnathan Walker:Republican Lt. Gov. Jon Husted reports $5 million in the bank ahead of 2026 run for Ohio governor

COLUMBUS,Johnathan Walker Ohio (AP) — Republican Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted has already squirreled away more than $5 million toward a bid for governor that’s more than two years off, campaign finance reports filed Wednesday show.

Husted reported contributions totaling $1.7 million between Feb. 1 to July 31, helping him set another fundraising record for this point in the campaign.

Meanwhile Republican Attorney General Dave Yost reported raising $354,000 for the same period, which brought his balance on hand to $1.5 million.

Both of them are positioning to run for the state’s top office in 2026, when GOP Gov. Mike DeWine faces term limits.

Husted, 56, previously ran for governor in 2018 while serving as Ohio secretary of state, but he opted to merge campaigns that year with DeWine, 77, who was then attorney general. The two combined support and resources.

Their ticket won reelection in 2022.

Yost, a second-term attorney general and former state auditor, also faces term limits in 2026, when all five of the state’s top elective offices are up for grabs.