Incumbent Marcy Kaptur (D), Derek Merrin (R), and Matthew Althaus (L) are running in the general election for Ohio's 9th Congressional District on November 3, 2026.
The election is taking place in the context of redistricting that changed the boundaries of the 9th District from those used in 2024. Inside Elections' Nathaniel Rakich said, "[The] 9th District, which runs along the Michigan border and the Lake Erie coast from Toledo to Sandusky, was already tough for a Democrat, but it has gotten even tougher with the addition of a few conservative inland counties ... Kaptur, though, is a proven overperformer. In 2022, she won by 13 points in a district that Trump would carry by 7 points two years later."
Kaptur defeated Merrin 48.3%–47.6% under the old district lines in 2024. An analysis by The Downballot of the 2024 presidential election using the 2026 district lines concluded that President Donald Trump (R) received 54.8% of the vote in 2024 in the 2026 version of the 9th District and Kamala Harris (D) received 44.2% of the vote in 2024 in the 2026 version of the 9th District. As of August 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Lean Democratic, Toss-up, or Tilt Republican.
