COLUMBUS — A sitting state senator will square off against a former colleague for Ohio treasurer next year after Sen. Kristina Roegner (R., Hudson) announced Thursday that she’s entering the race.
“The mission of the Ohio treasurer is to be the trusted steward of Ohio’s treasury, a wise investor in Ohio’s future, and bold innovator committed to improving people’s lives,” she said in a video accompanying her announcement. “That’s who I am at my core, and that is what I’ll do.”
She is in the middle of her second four-year term as senator representing a competitive Akron area district and is barred from a third term. Prior to that she served in the Ohio House of Representatives and on Hudson City Council.
She’s among many Republicans holding current office who are looking for their next steps.
For now she would face former state Sen. Niraj Antani (R., Miamisburg) for the Republican nomination. Mr. Antani had initially announced a run for secretary of state, but he shifted gears earlier this week rather than face competition for that race from current Treasurer Robert Sprague.
No Democrat has yet announced a run.
Both Ms. Roegner and Mr. Antani characterize themselves as strong conservatives.
Ms. Roegner, as current chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, just helped push through Senate Bill 1, a measure designed to crack down on what she characterized as a “bastion of liberal bias” on public university and college campuses.
She has been among the most prominent faces in the General Assembly in pursuing legislation opposing abortion rights, has extended that vision to also oppose the death penalty, and has sponsored a number of laws making it easier for Ohio to recognize professional licenses issued in other states and vice versa.
The 56-year-old wife and mother earned a degree in mechanical engineering from Tufts University in 1990 and worked in that field at Westinghouse Power Generation. She then earned a master’s degree in finance from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
She has said she wants to build on Mr. Sprague’s success over the last six years as treasurer.
“The money in the Ohio treasury belongs to you, the people of Ohio, and I pledge to continue to serve with the highest level of professionalism, integrity, and full transparency as your next treasurer,” she said in her campaign video.
In response to Ms. Roegner’s announcement, Mr. Antani said, “I expect there will be a variety of opponents who enter the race. I believe that I am the best suited to be state treasurer. On day one will divest Ohio from any Ohio company that invests in [diversity, equity, and inclusion] and [environmental social governance].”
If you’re keeping track more than a year out from the 2026 primary election:
● Attorney General Dave Yost and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy are expected to compete for the GOP nomination to replace Gov. Mike DeWine. Dr. Amy Acton, Mr. DeWine’s health director early in the coronavirus pandemic, is the only announced Democrat.
● U.S. Sen. Jon Husted, the former lieutenant governor just appointed by Mr. DeWine to replace now Vice President JD Vance, will run to hold on to his seat and is now out of the governor picture.
● Current Auditor Keith Faber wants the Republican nomination for attorney general.
● Mr. Sprague stepped out of the governor’s race in favor of a run for secretary of state. Dr. Bryan Hambley, a hematology oncologist from Loveland, is seeking the Democratic nomination.
● Current Secretary of State Frank LaRose is running for the GOP nomination for auditor.
First Published February 13, 2025, 4:02 p.m.
