Kaptur withstands redrawn district, beats Merrin again in Ohio’s 9th

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) is projected to win a 23rd term for Congress in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District, winning despite new, Republican-heavy maps.

The Associated Press called the race for Kaptur on Wednesday at 2:53 a.m. EST. As of 3:00 p.m. EST, Kaptur led over Republican former state representative Derek Merrin by a count of 52.7% to 47.3%.

The 80-year-old Kaptur had been a reliable congressional Democrat in Northwest Ohio for decades. But since the start of this decade, her seat had been targeted by state Republicans as one to flip via gerrymandering. She survived a tight election against Merrin in 2024, but Cook Political Report moved the race from Toss Up to Lean Democrat days before the election. She also faced criticism from progressives and LGBTQ+ advocates this cycle for her anti-transgender remarks.

Merrin, a former four-term state representative endorsed by President Donald Trump, ran on what his campaign called the “America First Agenda.” His campaign website says he played a key role in Ohio’s requirement to show photo ID to vote. As a state representative, he advocated for a bill to remove mandatory lead pipe inspections in rental units (Merrin is a real estate investor).