Ohio 15th Race Draws $6.5 Million as Polls Show Tight Contention

More than $6.5 million has flowed into the race for Ohio's 15th Congressional District, a sum that signals a tight contest in a district that traditionally favors Republicans. The figure combines contributions to the campaigns and spending by political action committees supporting either side. This level of financial activity is unusual for the seat, which covers downtown Columbus, southern and western Franklin County, Pickaway County, and Miami County. The current map was drawn by Ohio Republicans in 2025 and is being used for the first time in this election cycle.

Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Carey, the two-term incumbent, has received more than $4 million in campaign contributions. Over half of that money came from political action committees. The Safety and Affordability PAC, an organization affiliated with President Donald Trump, spent more than $1 million in support of Carey. Other PACs contributed an additional $1.6 million to his campaign. Carey, a former coal lobbyist who lives in the German Village neighborhood, has also received more than $1.6 million directly from corporations such as Marathon Petroleum, Cardinal Health, Huntington Bank, and Abbott Laboratories.

Democratic challenger Don Leonard has raised more than $1.1 million for his own campaign. However, left-leaning political action committees have spent nearly $4 million on advertisements attacking Carey. Leonard, a former Ohio State professor who lives in the Hilltop neighborhood, has stated that his campaign has sworn off corporate PAC money. His campaign released a statement arguing that the Republican spending demonstrates that party leadership views the district as competitive and fears the outcome. The statement claimed that the people of Central Ohio are tired of the hardship and chaos associated with Republican leadership.

Libertarian candidate Brennan Barrington is running a lower-budget campaign that did not require financial disclosure to the Federal Elections Commission. Barrington, an Ohio State engineering graduate who lives in downtown Columbus, cited the high cost of the race as evidence of a flawed political system. He stated that it should not cost millions of dollars to determine the winner of one of the 435 House seats. Barrington advocates for ranked choice voting for U.S. Senators and proportional representation for the U.S. House to eliminate gerrymandering and allow third parties to gain representation.

The Cook Political Report currently rates the race as leaning Republican. A poll published by Hart Research Associates, funded by Democrats, shows Leonard with 48% support and Carey with 45%. The poll only asked about likely voters and did not include Barrington. Earlier polls from August showed Leonard trailing Carey, but his support has increased in recent measurements. Barrington noted that his presence in the race could influence the final outcome if the contest remains close. He pointed to the 2024 race in Ohio's 9th District, where a Libertarian candidate received more than 4% of the vote in a closely decided election.

Carey has not responded to repeated requests for comment. Barrington said his platform also includes reducing taxes and regulations imposed by Washington, D.C., and limiting U.S. military involvement in overseas conflicts. He specifically mentioned the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, arguing that American taxpayers do not have a strong enough stake in the region to justify the current spending levels. He lives in downtown Columbus and believes that curbing federal power is a central tenet of his candidacy.