COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost released a video in November hinting at a run for governor in 2026.
Monday, the Republican attorney general talked with 10TV about his future political plans. Yost said he will be a candidate for governor but has not yet made an official announcement.
"I'll just leave it at this for the moment; after being urged by many people across the state to consider running, I concluded that it was my duty to do that, to offer an alternative," Yost said. "We can continue to have incremental improvement and do OK, or we can look at examples of some other states that have bolder leadership and move more strongly and purposefully in the future."
When asked which issues he would focus on, Yost said "Stay tuned."
Yost said he will make an official announcement in the first quarter of next year, probably in February.
He was first elected as Ohio Attorney General in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022. Before that, he served as state auditor.
Before becoming a state leader, Yost’s career began in journalism when he worked for the Columbus Citizen-Journal. He later transitioned into public service, holding senior positions in the administration of Columbus Mayor Buck Rinehart and Gov. George Voinovich.
Yost was appointed to the Delaware County auditor post in 1999 and later elected to be Delaware County prosecutor in 2003. The role propelled him to statewide office and was elected in 2010 as Ohio’s Auditor of State. He served in this capacity until 2019, when he focused on rooting out fraud and ensuring accountability in government spending.
10TV also reached out to a member of Lt. Gov. Jon Husted's team about whether he will run for governor. They said Husted will also announce his plans in early 2025.