Who's In the Race
Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH) is seeking another term in Ohio's 12th Congressional District against Democratic challenger Jerrad Shane Christian.
Balderson has represented the district since 2018, after serving in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate for roughly nine years combined and working on his family's farm and in the family business before entering public office.
Christian is a Navy veteran who served aboard an aircraft carrier and later as a meteorologist and oceanographer; he now works as a software engineer and grew up in Ohio's Appalachian region.
What They Stand For
According to his official House website, Balderson has supported a national energy strategy centered on "American energy dominance and innovation," pushing to expand domestic production and reduce reliance on foreign energy; he has also made workforce development a priority, arguing students need skills training for in-demand jobs and that businesses need help filling vacancies; he has supported expanding access to affordable health care in rural areas through telehealth and remote patient monitoring; and he has favored cutting red tape for small businesses and improving their access to capital, technology and cybersecurity support.
According to his campaign website, Christian has advocated for universal health care, saying it can lower costs and free workers from tying coverage to their jobs; he has called for raising the minimum wage so full-time workers can live above the poverty line; he has proposed addressing the housing crisis by building more homes, reforming exclusionary zoning and curbing large institutional buyers; he has supported defending and restoring Social Security, including lifting or eliminating the taxable-income cap; and he has backed lower energy costs through increased supply, grid modernization, efficiency, renewables and nuclear power.
Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets
Cook Political Report rated the race "Solid Republican" as of Oct. 9; Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it "Solid Republican" as of Oct. 11; and Inside Elections rated it "Solid Republican" as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Republicans, whose nominee is Balderson, a 96.13 percent chance of winning as of Oct. 12; Democrats, whose nominee is Christian, stood at 3.87 percent.
Balderson carried the district with about 69 percent of the vote in 2022 and about 69 percent again in 2024. "" Donald Trump carried Ohio in the 2024 presidential election with about 55 percent of the vote.
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