COLUMBUS, Ohio – Dr. Amy Acton, the former state health director who became the face of Ohio's early pandemic response, is stepping down from her nonprofit position to “carefully explore” running as a Democrat for the U.S.
Senate, she said Thursday. Acton would be vying for a coveted open seat being vacated by Republican U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, who cited divisive national politics in a decision not to seek reelection next year. “Many Ohioans have shared with me their concerns and the daily challenges they face,” she said in a statement. “They have expressed a need for a new approach that can help them, and their communities thrive.