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Endorses Thomas

The race

One state House seat is at stake in Ohio's House District 65, for a two-year term. The incumbent, David Thomas (Republican), is on the general-election ballot. The district's 2024 presidential baseline was R+28.5 (Wikipedia results summary). The confirmed general-election roster, from the Ohio General Election Guide - November 3, 2026 (Governmental Policy Group / RH Resources, updated September 21, 2026), is: John Barbo (Democratic); David Thomas (Republican).

Guide marks Thomas with * = incumbent.

David Thomas is a former Ashtabula County auditor and vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee (candidate's own site).

CONFLICT (printed, not resolved): Wikipedia's District 65 section and BallotReady's primary list name Lorna Westlake as the Democratic nominee (she won the Democratic primary). The guide (updated Sept. 21, 2026) and a statewide candidate-list compilation name John Barbo as the Democratic candidate for the general election — the pattern of a post-primary replacement, though no replacement report was located at this depth. The roster follows the guide.

The candidates, claim by claim

John Barbo (D), nominee. John Barbo is the Democratic nominee on the guide's general-election list.

Pros: The Democratic nominee; the record located for the nominee is stated above and in the sources. Cons: No documented break with the Democratic Party toward this publication's values was located in the compiled record — no Manchin-test break. In the House, a Democratic organizing vote is priced lighter than in the Senate — a stalled House is not a lost House while the Senate holds — but it still organizes with a party opposed to this publication's values. The flaw, plainly: Enabler class, not extremist — a reliable party-line vote, which is the standing reason the exception for a Democrat is not earned here. No extremist classification is made: no documented DSA membership, self-described democratic-socialist identification, or authored socialist program was located for this candidate.

David Thomas (R), incumbent. David Thomas is the Republican incumbent on the guide's general-election list.

Pros: A Republican with a service record voters can inspect, in a race against a party-line Democrat; aligned with the values this publication exists to advance. Cons: No proven flaw meeting this publication's standard was located in the compiled record; where the nominee has not previously served in state office, the record is thin by definition — that is unproven, not a demerit. The flaw, plainly: None proven was located in the compiled record.

OUR CALL

We endorse David Thomas (R). No proven flaw was located in the Republican nominee's compiled record, and the nominee's service record is in the file above. The Democratic nominee is a party-line vote with no Manchin-test break located.

For the complete Election 2026 breakdown — every race, claim by claim — see the full coverage on our website.

Vote early. Research your candidates. Choose the best moderates, whatever their party — no extremism from either side. And encourage your friends and family to do the same.

Sources

Election result — November 4, 2026

Result pending. No verified call (Associated Press or official) as of November 4, 2026. This page will be updated when the race is called or certified. The original article above is unchanged.

AI-assisted article — but the sources are human, and the facts are very real.

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