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LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) -- Lancaster police are responding to a barricade situation Friday evening.

Police said a man who is possibly armed with a gun is barricaded inside of a home in the 900 block of Fairfield Avenue.

Map shows approximate location

The public is asked to avoid the area.

No other details were immediately available.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Nationwide Children's Hospital confirmed on Friday it will soon no longer provide any forms of treatment known as gender-affirming care for transgender patients, including those age 18 and older.

The hospital said in a statement it's ending all such trans medical care, like puberty blockers and hormone therapy, effective Sept. 26. The change will also impact those patients that were "grandfathered in" when the Ohio Statehouse passed House Bill 68, a contested 2023 law banning youth from receiving gender-affirming care. Watch a previous NBC4 report on H.B. 68 in the video player above.

"Although we are currently in compliance with state and federal regulations, in order to proactively plan and support our providers and patients in a rapidly changing regulatory environment, Nationwide Children's providers will discontinue prescribing gender-affirming medications," the statement said.

"The hospital will be working with affected patients to end their prescriptions, always with patient safety as a top priority," the hospital continued. "Nationwide Children's will continue to support these patients and families through the provision of behavioral health services, and any other needed healthcare."

Nationwide Children's announcement comes after the Ohio Supreme Court said in July it will decide whether H.B. 68 is constitutional. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost asked the justices to consider the case after an appeals court ruled in March that the law is unconstitutional, arguing it "infringes on parents' fundamental right to direct the medical care of their children."

Ohio's top court, which voted 6-1 along party lines to take up Yost's appeal, said in late April that the state can continue enforcing the law while litigation continues.

Boding well for H.B. 68, a Tennessee law that also prohibits trans minors from receiving such treatment was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. Still, the ACLU of Ohio, which filed the lawsuit against H.B. 68 on behalf of two families with trans children, previously said it remains confident in challenging Ohio's version of the law.

H.B. 68, which also bans trans female athletes' participation in women's sports, faced a contentious road while advancing through Ohio's legislature. The measure was condemned by top Ohio doctors, including Nick Lashutka, president of the Ohio Children's Hospital Association, who argued at the Statehouse in 2023 that "it is a dangerous precedent for government to dictate when medication is appropriate in pediatrics."

While the Statehouse approved H.B. 68 in December 2023, Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the legislation the following month. The governor said he made his decision after visiting patients at five children's hospitals, arguing that "these are gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by parents and should be informed by teams of doctors." Still, both chambers of the Statehouse moved to override DeWine's veto.

The ACLU filed its lawsuit against H.B. 68 later that spring, putting the law temporarily on hold and setting up a five-day Franklin County trial in July 2024. Ultimately, Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook ruled that the legislation could go into effect given it didn't violate Ohio's constitution. The ACLU then appealed Holbrook's decision to the appeals court.

"This has been a long hard fight to protect minors in the state of Ohio," said Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), H.B. 68's primary sponsor, in a statement after Holbrook's ruling. "A strong cross-section of Ohioans ... recognize that decisions like these are too consequential to be made for and by minors who are incapable of providing informed consent."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- As the calendar turns to September, it's time to separate the contenders from the pretenders in Week 3 of the high school football season.

A number of schools look to improve to 3-0 this week, including Upper Arlington, Watterson, Olentangy, Olentangy Orange and Pickerington Central. But the Braves and Pioneers face each other on Friday, ensuring that one of these undefeated teams will suffer its first loss of. And it's one of a handful of rivalry games that headline this week's action.

Below is a list of games that will be featured on Football Friday Nite at 11:15 p.m. A complete list of games in the state is at the bottom. Check back all evening for updated scores and highlights.

Week 3 Schedule

• Teays Valley (2-0) at Watkins Memorial (1-1)
• Pickerington Central (2-0) at Pickerington North (1-1) (Game of the Week)
• Bloom-Carroll (1-1) at Jonathan Alder (2-0)
• Dublin Coffman (1-1) at Dublin Jerome (2-0)
• Olentangy (2-0) at Orange (2-0)
• Canal Winchester (2-0) at Kilbourne (2-0)
• Granville (2-0) at Johnstown (2-0)
• DeSales (2-0) at Africentric (2-0)
• Hamilton Township (2-0) at Independence (2-0)
• Bradley (1-1) at Grove City (2-0)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Columbus Zoo's baby elephant now has a name after it made its debut last month.

The baby Asian elephant is named Rita Jean, after Rita Jean Wolfe, a member of Wolfe family with deep ties to the zoo's history.

The Wolf family encouraged the city to develop a zoo in 1926. The family contributed funds to the zoo's first habitat and brought the first animals in 1927.

Summit Station, Ohio’s first lesbian bar, to be honored in documentary

"Rita Jean Wolfe embodied the same qualities we see in our elephants -- strength, resilience and boundless compassion," the zoo wrote in a social media post.

The zoo thanked the community for sharing its excitement about the elephant and for sharing name suggestions. Watch previous coverage in the player above.

• Courtesy Photo / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
• Courtesy Photo / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
• Courtesy Photo / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
• Courtesy Photo / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
• Courtesy Photo / Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

"We are so grateful for the joy and excitement our community has shared since the calf's arrival," the zoo said. "While Rita Jean's name was chosen to honor a remarkable woman, every idea reflected the love you feel for our elephant family, and we can’t wait to share each new milestone with you as she grows."

Her birth marked an important milestone for the zoo given Asian elephants are classified as endangered with less than 50,000 worldwide, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 

Spaceweather.com for September 5 reports that a total lunar eclipse
occurs on September 7th.  However, it will not be visible in the
Americas.

Solar activity will likely continue at moderate levels with isolated
M-class flares through September 6 due to the combined flare
potential of Regions AR4197 and AR4207. Probabilities decrease to
just a chance for M-class flares on September 7 as AR4197 moves
b...

September is National Preparedness Month, and ARRL is working to arm members with knowledge and resources to be resilient in the face of disaster. Amateur radio serves as a powerful tool and national resource before and When All Else Fails®, but being prepared goes beyond radio. “Being ready to serve your community through ham radio begins with being ready yourself,” says ARRL Director of Emerg...

US Space Command headquarters is being moved to Huntsville, Alabama, known as “Rocket City USA.” The move was announced in a press conference on September 2, 2025. Huntsville will host the 2026 ARRL National Convention as part of the Huntsville Hamfest, but there’s a bigger connection between US Space Command and amateur radio. 

Space Command utilizes forces such as the US Space Force to accompl...

The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is getting a boost, courtesy of the ham radio community on YouTube. A group of the content creators gathered for a cookout at this year’s Huntsville Hamfest and raised $6425 for the program. “We have a tremendous amount of support from the YouTubers,” said ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA. “They’re on track to raise and...

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- An upcoming documentary is shedding light on Summit Station, Ohio's first and longest-running lesbian bar that was recognized in 2023 with a historical marker for serving as a crucial haven for the Columbus LGBTQ+ community.

Titled "Free Beer Tomorrow," the film captures the enduring legacy of the bar that stood as a vital gathering place at 2210 Summit Street, now occupied by Summit Music Hall. The project is helmed by Julia Applegate, a former Summit patron and senior lecturer at Ohio State University, who helped secure the historical marker and is now a co-director for the documentary.

"This was a safe space in a time over decades where it just wasn't safe to be LGBTQ+ outside of those doors," Applegate said in an interview with NBC4. "As things got better through the '80s, '90s and 2000s, that space was still important because things weren't better enough."

Out in Ohio: Columbus launches LGBTQ+ commission, Human Rights Campaign kicks off national tour "Free Beer Tomorrow" honors the decades-long legacy of Ohio's first lesbian bar, Summit Station. (Courtesy Photo/Julia Applegate)

Applegate and a team of filmmakers set out to showcase the range of longtime customers and trailblazing figures that shaped and relied on Summit, from Petie Brown, the bar's longest-serving owner, to pioneering Columbus attorney and professor Rhonda Rivera. Over the course of several years, the group interviewed more than 50 people across 13 states, capturing firsthand accounts of the bar's impact.

"We followed every single tip we got, we interviewed as many people as we could," Applegate said. "It's been an incredible journey, I feel like it's one of the best gifts I've ever had in my life. It's been a real honor."

Opened in 1971 and originally named Jack's A Go-Go, Summit was one of the first lesbian pubs in the nation and welcomed patrons for nearly four decades before closing in 2008. Named after a "Free Beer Tomorrow" neon sign that hung inside the bar, the documentary also aims to demonstrate the power of finding community in a physical space, Applegate said.

"The resounding message of the film is really about community, love and what happens when we come together in a physical space," she said. "Virtual spaces are fantastic and they can provide so much for people, but there's something special about sharing physical space... there's something about the energy in our bodies that is transferred in physical spaces that we just don't get virtually."

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The documentary's production comes amid setbacks for LGBTQ+ historical preservation in Ohio. Earlier this year, Ohio History Connection lost federal funding at the hands of DOGE for a project that was meant to install 10 other LGBTQ+ historical markers, given Summit's marker stands as only the third in the state to honor the LGBTQ+ community. Applegate also served as a consultant for the additional markers.

• A historical marker honoring Summit Station, Ohio’s first and longest running lesbian bar, was installed in June 2023. (Courtesy Photo/Ohio History Connection)
• Petie Brown, owner of Summit Station, sitting atop the bar in the 1980s. (Courtesy Photo/Priscilla Ridall)
• Summit Station was one of the first lesbian pubs in the nation. (Courtesy Photo/Julia Applegate)

"It's really devastating to see the funding for that program go away. ... We spent countless hours unpaid, doing research, going before city council, going before our neighborhood association, raising money to get [Summit's] marker installed," she said. "With the DOGE cuts, all of the resources to put those markers in all corners of Ohio are gone."

Although "Free Beer Tomorrow" is still in production, rough-cut screenings are ongoing. A showing is scheduled for late September to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Ohio State Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department. Additional screenings for Dayton and Cincinnati are set for later this year, with a formal premiere possible in spring 2026.

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Applegate emphasized that the film isn't just about preserving history, but also inspiring future generations.

"Love does win, it wins in lots of different ways," she said. "It will triumph over time and so I hope the film will inspire people, and that it's not just the lesbians that it inspires or the gay men that it inspires, or the trans folks, but it is our straight allies who we need now more than ever."

Learn more about the upcoming documentary at WatchFreeBeerTomorrow.com.

DELAWARE, Ohio (WCMH) -- A woman was killed Friday morning in a Delaware County fire, authorities said.

The fire was called in by a passerby, officials said, and occurred just before 6 a.m. in the Shroyer's Mobile Homes community off of U.S. 23, just outside of Delaware city limits.

Driver ejected in two-vehicle crash south of Columbus

A woman in her 70s died in the fire, Tri-Township fire officials said. She was the only one in the home.

The cause of the fire, which reportedly originated in the bedroom, remains under investigation.

WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) -- Almost one in four Whitehall residents ages 16 to 64 are unemployed, according to the U.S. Census. City government is trying to change that.

"Helping to ensure families have access to sustainable wages is a key priority," Mayor Michael Bivens said. "Our residents deserve workforce opportunities that can enhance their lives."

Bivens is taking the challenge personally. During his tenure as mayor, Whitehall has incorporated job fair events into city gatherings, such as the annual Food Truck Festival and the State of the City address. Bivens even goes to Mayor's Court every Tuesday to provide job opportunities to residents.

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Bivens said Whitehall has the highest poverty rate in central Ohio, with 17.3% of residents living below the poverty level in the 2020 census. He said workforce development and access has an "all-encompassing affect" on Whitehall residents, leading to these projects.

Each Tuesday, Bivens offers lists of employers to residents who are in Mayor's Court. The court handles misdemeanors and traffic violations, and the Health Police Institute of Ohio found a direct link between reduced financial stressors for residents and reduced crime in the state. Bivens offers opportunities weekly, including distributing a list of employers to anyone at court who wants assistance.

The city also uses community events to expand the workforce. In April, Whitehall held an opportunity fair before the State of the City address. Attendees were able to network, get feedback on resumes and even take part in on-site interviews. The event included job opportunities at the airport, Walmart, PCG Consulting Group, Whitehall City Schools and at least a dozen more employers.

Whitehall similarly transformed its annual Food Truck Fest into a job opportunity site. The event attracts thousands of attendees each year, and more than 300 of them connected with employers and wellness partners at the 2025 event. Whitehall representatives said 60% were screened for employment, and 30% received job offers or continued in the hiring process, largely in tech and trade jobs.

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The 2025 event was shut down early due to potentially dangerous weather, so the 2024 event had even more opportunities for attendees. The 2024 event was the first to feature workforce opportunities, connecting more than 600 attendees with employers. Of those hundreds, 42% moved forward with employment screenings, 40% of whom received job offers in healthcare, tech and trade positions.

"The residents, their families and relationships with employers are vital in solidifying Whitehall as the City of Opportunity," Bivens said.

Even if residents did not get a job, attendees benefited from other resources geared toward addressing poverty disparities. Whitehall said more than 500 residents in 2025 and more than 3,000 residents in 2024 received critical health screenings at the Food Truck Fest. At the festival, a handful of attendees both years also took steps toward receiving their high school diplomas.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- After making a big statement with a 14-7 victory over then-No. 1 Texas in the season opener, Ohio State looks to get even better as it plays Grambling State on Saturday.

Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Ohio Stadium.

"[Texas] was the focus, and now we've got to grow. We got a lot of work to do, a ton," coach Ryan Day said. "After you come down from the emotion of the game, you get back on film and you get to work, you just realize there's so many things you have to improve on."

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The game presents an opportunity for growth from the Buckeyes, now ranked No. 1, as they take on the Tigers for the first time. Both teams are 1-0 after Grambling State defeated Langton 55-7 in its opener.

Here are three things to know.

A more 'explosive' offense

The Texas game produced only one big play: a 40-yard touchdown throw from Julian Sayin to Carnell Tate. While that ended up being the difference-maker for Ohio State, Day would like to see more from the offense this week. And that starts with Sayin.

"We feel like he took care of the ball, and that's what the focus is going to be, regardless of the opponent," Day said. "We're holding ourself to a high standard. I think coming out of the game, we were able to build some confidence."

Sayin completed 13 of 20 passes for 126 yards and a touchdown with no turnovers. In the process, he became the first quarterback to defeat an AP No. 1 team in his first career start in 41 years.

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But upon further review, Day saw an offense that got backed up often and didn't have many possessions, especially in the first half. Moving forward, Day wants him and the offense to be more aggressive, including throwing deeper passes.

"The more air you put on the ball, the more of a margin of error you allow the receiver to come back and make a play or get a pass interference," Day said. "I think we want to be more explosive and create more explosive plays."

Establishing the run game

The ground game gave Ohio State its first touchdown of the season when C.J. Donaldson ran a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter against the Longhorns, part of a 63-yard performance in the opener.

Day says he expects running back duties to be split between Donaldson and James Peoples, similar to how Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson shared the touches last season.

"You could probably see James get more carries this week and then maybe C.J. more the next week. That's just kind of how it goes," Day said. "We got a long way to go and we're going to need all these guys."

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Tight end Will Macmarek said during camp that he's willing to do the dirty work in his position on offense. He stuck to his word against the Longhorns, doing the little things that allowed plays to happen.

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"Will has established himself as a really strong in-line, on-the-ball tight end. You see him making some plays, catching the ball," Day said.

Day said he's part of a strong tight end room that could prove to be an X-factor this year.

"You could see we play with multiple tight ends in this game," Day said. "We feel like we have some guys that we can build some different groupings out of. That gives us a little bit of a change-up there."

BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) -- Bexley City Schools are officially "No Place for Hate."

The district said the No Place for Hate title came from the hard work of students and Stephen Lewis, Bexley Schools' leader of school community engagement. Bexley's high school, middle school and each of its three elementary schools all established student groups to work toward the designation. This school year, the Anti-Defamation League awarded all district schools the official No Place for Hate designation.

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The Anti-Defamation League (ADL)'s mission is to "stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all." Although the ADL has drawn criticism from Jewish groups like Jewish Voice for Peace, which disagree with the ADL's current pro-Israel activism, the No Place for Hate program has a broad focus and covers challenges to bias and bullying, according to its website.

Bexley representatives said No Place for Hate is about belonging, empathy and inclusion. They explained the high school's Culture Climate Council felt No Place for Hate was an achievable goal for students to rally behind.

Once things took off in the high school, the district established student groups and staff advisors across all buildings. These groups lead student activities centered around combating hate and bullying, which inspired the ADL award.

The change comes at a time when diversity, equity and inclusion events are facing federal and state pushback. Ohio banned DEI programming at public universities, and bills have been introduced at the Ohio Statehouse to ban DEI for K-12 public schools. School leaders explained the No Place for Hate title does not infringe on these concerns.

"No Place for Hate is about the way we treat each other as human beings," district spokesperson Carol Taylor said. "Kindness is not a controversial topic. It is a characteristic everyone can demonstrate and embrace."

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As part of the program, each elementary school held programming to combat hate and bullying. At Maryland Elementary, for instance, P.E. teacher Josh Price led student volunteers through a skit and asked why school counselor Megan Reeve was sad. Reeve told the students no one had asked her to play, and Price helped them include her in a simple game. The student volunteers also shared why they feel it's important to be kind.

All three elementary schools have their own No Place for Hate pledges. Montrose Elementary's pledge promises to be "respectful, responsible, safe and kind" and ensure everyone is included. Maryland's pledge is slightly longer and promises to use kind words, stand up for other people, and understand that people make mistakes. Cassingham Elementary students pledge to be mindful of other students' boundaries and to be supportive.

• Courtesy photo / Bexley City Schools
• Courtesy photo / Bexley City Schools
• Courtesy photo / Bexley City Schools

On the first day of school and at student assemblies, faculty and staff donned black and yellow T-shirts that say "No Place for Hate." Students asked Montrose Principal Nyesha Clayton why they were all dressed alike, and she told them the school was celebrating its new designation.

"The hope is that No Place for Hate becomes a natural reflection of the entire Bexley school community," Taylor said. "Where students and staff have a positive sense of belonging, where they feel valued, and welcomed, where students can flourish and be their authentic selves and achieve success on their journey to adulthood."

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A bipartisan bill in the Ohio Statehouse seeks to enhance the penalties for hate crimes and expand protections under the law to include more identity markers such as political affiliation and sex. 

Reps. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Township) introduced House Bill 306, dubbed the Hate Crime Act, in May. The bill would “modernize” Ohio’s approach to hate crimes, Jarrells said. 

“Hate should have no place in the state,” Jarrells said. “Our current statutes against what other states have passed are fairly weak.”

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Ohio lacks a comprehensive hate crime law. The state has a statute against “ethnic intimidation,” which prohibits crimes targeted based on race, color, religion and national origin. An ethnic intimidation charge is tacked onto an underlying offense to enhance the penalty by raising it to the next degree.

The bill would expand the protections in the state’s current law to also include crimes motivated by a person’s sex, ancestry, age, familial status, military status, disability, position in a labor dispute and political affiliation or position. The legislation would officially define these acts as hate crimes, with offenders found guilty facing a charge one degree higher than their original offense, as is currently done with ethnic intimidation. 

The bill would establish civil remedies for victims of hate crimes by allowing them to sue offenders for an unspecified amount that would be determined by a court. Offenders could also face civil fines of up to $25,000. 

Williams said he was inspired to sponsor the bill after seeing a recent surge of hate-motivated incidents in Ohio, including assaults and vandalism directed at students on college campuses based on their religion. 

He also cited instances of violence and harassment motivated by political affiliation. Multiple Ohio elected officials, including Attorney General Dave Yost and Republican lawmakers, have fallen victim to swatting in recent years, which involves falsely reporting a serious crime to prompt an armed law enforcement response at an unsuspecting person’s address.

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“I think we've reached a point in our country's political climate where we need to make it perfectly clear that you can't use violence to push your political agenda and you can't use violence against your political rivals, regardless of what party you affiliate with,” Williams said. 

The bill states that knowingly making a false report that someone committed a crime requiring law enforcement intervention, alluding to swatting, can amount to a hate crime. The distribution of materials on private property with the intent to terrorize a resident can also constitute a hate crime under the act.

The legislation specifies that speech alone cannot be defined as a hate crime unless four conditions are met: the speech threatens violence against a specific person or group, the target reasonably fears that violence will be committed against them, the offender is acting in “reckless disregard” for the threatening nature of their speech and the offender has the “apparent ability” to carry out the threat. 

The Hate Crime Act was assigned to the House’s Judiciary Committee, where it awaits its first hearing. The bill has drawn 26 cosponsors, consisting of both Democrats and Republicans.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A trial in the murder of a woman who tried to stop a carjacking while her son was in the backseat will proceed to adult court.

As previously reported, steps to advance the case against a defendant in the murder of Alexa Stakely will advance through Franklin County Court of Common Pleas after a hearing Wednesday. Then, it was determined that Ray-Yon Hawkins would be tried as an adult.

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Hawkins, along with another teenager and 20-year-old Gerald Dowling Jr., were charged in the death of Stakely, who was found at 1:30 a.m. on July 11, 2024, lying near the intersection of Blue Knoll Drive and Annual Drive, just north of Canal Winchester. Stakely was attempting to stop a carjacking in the southeast Columbus neighborhood of White Ash, where three suspects had entered her vehicle, which was parked at the White Oak Park Condominiums.

Alexa Stakely

Dowling, along with two 16-year-old boys, jumped in Stakely’s car and drove off, police said. Stakely ran after the car, screaming for her child, before being struck and thrown to the ground. The result was a fatal head wound, and she was pronounced dead at 8:43 a.m.

Dowling, now 20, and the two teenagers surrendered two weeks later. The teens were charged with murder and were slated to be tried as adults. The boys were originally charged with murder alongside Dowling, who was assigned a $10 million bond in July 2024.

However, in February, one of the teenagers was sentenced to the Department of Youth Services for an undetermined amount of time and his case was closed.

On Wednesday, Hawkins was issued a $500,000 bond in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. His next court appearance has not yet been scheduled.

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Last month Dowling Jr. was sentenced to serve a minimum of seven years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Charges of theft and receiving stolen property were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Stakely was a speech pathologist for preschool students in Canal Winchester schools and, as a single mother, also worked a second job as a restaurant server and had just finished her shift before the carjacking.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — One person was ejected from their pickup truck and sustained serious injuries after a two-vehicle crash Thursday night south of the city.

According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, a person driving a 2024 Chevrolet 2500 was traveling northbound on U.S. 23, approaching State Route 317 in Hamilton Township. At the same time a person driving a 2008 Dodge Ram pickup truck began making a left turn from U.S. 23 South onto S.R. 317.

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The Dodge Ram crossed over the northbound lanes and was struck on the passenger side by the Chevrolet. Medics arrived at the scene and found the driver of the Dodge Ram had been ejected from the pickup truck and was lying on the east edge of U.S. 23, with the vehicle coming to rest in a ditch.

That victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition by Hamilton Township medics.

The driver of the Chevrolet was not injured, and the car came to rest against the northeast corner of the intersection along the guardrail, according to deputies.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the crash and asks that anyone with additional information to contact the Crash Investigation Unit at 614-525-6113.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- While Republican Jon Husted and Democrat Sherrod Brown are dominating Ohio's 2026 U.S. Senate race, a growing list of lesser-known candidates are also vying for their party's nomination.

Husted, a longtime fixture in Ohio Republican politics, officially launched his campaign earlier this year and has quickly consolidated GOP support, including an early endorsement from President Donald Trump. The 58-year-old has more than $2.6 million in campaign funds and the backing of national conservative organizations.

Brown's bid re-enters him into the national spotlight just over a year after narrowly losing re-election in 2024. The 72-year-old Democrat represented Ohio in the Senate from 2007 to 2025 and has remained active since his departure through his nonprofit "Dignity of Work Institute." He boasted raising $3.6 million in the first 24 hours of his comeback campaign.

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While Husted is the lone Republican in the race, several others are working to make a mark in the Democratic primary against Brown. Here's a look at who they are and their platforms. Watch a previous NBC4 report on Ohio's 2026 U.S. Senate race in the video player above.

Fred Ode (Courtesy Photo/Fred Ode for U.S. Senate)

An entrepreneur and philanthropist who wasn't always interested in politics, Ode's campaign says "our current political climate had made it impossible for [him] to watch from the sidelines anymore." Ode emphasizes his journey from a math teacher to a software engineer and business owner.

Ode's platform includes proposals for a "National Healthcare System" and an overhaul of the education system. He is an advocate for environmental sustainability, including a shift toward nuclear energy and "getting creative with" renewable energy sources. Ode also supports an overhaul of the immigration system and argues "turning our backs on immigrants for political convenience is not only disgraceful, it does a massive disservice to the American ideal."

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"Helping people discover their path is one of my great passions in life, and now I want to help Ohio lead America down a better path forward," his campaign site states.

Ron Kincaid (Courtesy Photo/Kincaid for U.S. Senate)

A first-time candidate, Kincaid touts a background in autism care and Special Olympics volunteer work. "I've spent my life fighting for those too often left behind," Kincaid's campaign website states, emphasizing his focus on improving healthcare, protecting reproductive rights, and ensuring economic security for working families.

His campaign promises "practical solutions," such as his "American Dividend Plan," which would provide monthly checks to help rebuild economic security. He also calls for stronger protections for workers and a renewed commitment to accessible healthcare for all Americans.

"Ron's leadership has always been about listening first and finding common ground. He believes Washington works best when people from different backgrounds sit down, respect each other, and get to work," his campaign site states. "That's the approach he'll bring to the Senate -- putting results ahead of partisanship, and Ohio families ahead of politics."

Lynnea Lau

Raised by a single mother, Lau "saw firsthand the sacrifices it took to keep food on the table for her and her two siblings," her campaign website said. "I'm committed to protecting the benefits that millions of taxpayers rely on -- Social Security, Medicare, education funding, and essential public services."

A veteran who served in the U.S. Air Force, Lau went on to earn degrees in public health and business administration. She believes that government should work for the people, not the wealthy few, and her platform calls for ending tax breaks for the ultra rich while ensuring hardworking families can afford essential goods.

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Her campaign also advocates for access to healthcare, bringing quality jobs to Ohio and addressing rising living costs. "This campaign is about restoring fairness, strengthening the middle class, and building a future where prosperity is shared -- not hoarded," her campaign site states.

Chris Volpe (Courtesy Photo/Volpe for America)

Volpe's says he's a "normal guy" who's "standing up to corporate greed and selfish politicians." A small business owner, teacher and game developer, Volpe positions himself as an outsider in the race. "He's not a politician," his campaign site states. "He lives and struggles with his fellow Ohioan, and vows to fight for a better life for all of us."

Volpe's platform emphasizes transparency and making politics more accessible. He vows to run a campaign free from corporate or lobbyist funding, focusing instead on engaging directly with Ohioans. He advocates for a government that focuses on evidence-based policymaking and accountability for leadership in Washington.

Volpe is particularly vocal about "corporate greed" and the divide between the wealthy and average workers. His policy proposals focus on "reinvesting America's success" so every person regardless of background can share in the country's prosperity.