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Endorses McClain

The race

One state House seat is at stake in Ohio's House District 87, for a two-year term. The incumbent, Riordan McClain (Republican), is not on the general-election ballot for this seat. The district's 2024 presidential baseline was R+54.0 (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: Lora Covrett (Democratic); Jeff McClain (Republican).

Open seat: incumbent Riordan McClain (R) is not on the general-election ballot; his father Jeff McClain, a former state representative (2009–2016), is the Republican nominee (Wikipedia; Ohio Gun Owners ballot guide).

Covrett won the Democratic primary as a write-in nominee with 189 votes (Wikipedia) and is listed as the Democratic candidate on the Columbus Chamber of Commerce certified-candidate list.

CONFLICT (printed, not resolved): the guide lists Jeff McClain alone for District 87, with no Democrat. Wikipedia's District 87 general-election table and the Columbus Chamber certified list both include Lora Covrett (D). The roster includes Covrett on the two later sources; the guide's omission is printed here.

The candidates, claim by claim

Lora Covrett (D), nominee. Lora Covrett 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.

Jeff McClain (R), nominee. Jeff McClain is the Republican nominee on the guide's general-election list, with prior state-legislative service in the compiled record (see the race notes above).

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 Jeff McClain (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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