Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced Thursday that he's running for governor to replace term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine in 2026.

Yost’s bid comes after Vivek Ramaswamy signaled plans to run for governor next year but has not officially announced it.

Yost, a Columbus Republican, is making official what’s been perhaps the most poorly kept secret in Ohio politics the past two years.

The 68-year-old Yost is the third candidate to officially announce a bid to replace the term-limited Gov. Mike DeWine.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost officially announced today that he is running for governor in 2026, seeking the Republican nomination. A long-time advocate for conservative principles, Yost is known for his strong support of Ohio families,

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Attorney General Dave Yost wants Ohio to officially outlaw “sanctuary cities,” municipalities that limit their cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. We’re talking about Yost pandering to Trump on Today in Ohio.

Yost and other AGs said that TPS designations have been repeatedly extended far longer than Congress intended.

Donald Trump's administration signaled it's cracking down on cities like Columbus that limit cooperation on immigration enforcement.

This is my heart, my home. I work for the people of Ohio, and I love my bosses. From the time I get up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I’m thinking about them and our future.”

As Ohio Attorney General, Yost protected Ohioans’ Second Amendment rights and fought in court against the Biden administration’s open-border policies. He succeeded in winning legal battles against federal overreach and won a U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses.

Yost said that he gained a national reputation as an America First attorney general, supporting President Trump’s agenda at the state level.