David Pepper seeks Ohio lieutenant governor seat in 2026

David Pepper, a Democrat and fifth-generation Cincinnatian, is running for Ohio lieutenant governor in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Robert McColley and Libertarian James L. Mills, according to BallotReady election data.

West Chester and Liberty Township voters will see this statewide race on their ballots. Pepper's campaign website outlines priorities including healthcare costs, public education funding and government reform.

Candidate information

Office sought: Ohio lieutenant governor
Party: Democratic
Election: Nov. 3, 2026, general election
Ballot status: Certified for the ballot
Education: Bachelor's degree in history, Yale University (1993); juris doctor, Yale University (1999)
Residence: Cincinnati, Ohio

Experience and public service

After law school, Pepper clerked for Judge Nathaniel Jones on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in 1999, according to a Democrats Abroad profile. He practiced law at Squire Sanders & Dempsey starting in 2000 and later at Blank Rome LLP from 2011 to 2014.

Pepper won a seat on Cincinnati City Council in 2001 and served through 2005. He was elected Hamilton County commissioner in 2007 and served as commission president in 2009, holding the seat through 2010.

He ran as the Democratic candidate for Ohio auditor of state in 2010 and for Ohio attorney general in 2014. He chaired the Ohio Democratic Party from 2015 to 2021, according to the Leadership Now Project.

Pepper has been an adjunct professor at the University of Cincinnati since 2012. He is a senior fellow at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation and authored two books on democracy and state-level politics: Laboratories of Autocracy (2021) and Saving Democracy (2023), according to a Compact25 speaker profile.

On the issues

The following positions are stated by Pepper on his campaign website.

Healthcare: Pepper said he would fight cuts to Medicaid, which covers more than three million Ohioans, "whether they're coming from Columbus or Congress." He said he wants to reduce healthcare costs and ensure access to basic medical care statewide.

Education: Pepper said he would restore public school funding to a constitutional level and seek oversight of the private school voucher system, which he described as having "runaway costs." He said savings would go toward students, teachers and classroom practices.

Government reform: Pepper said he would push for transparency in campaign finance, contracting and appointment processes. He said he wants decisions made on behalf of the public rather than private interests.

Public safety: Pepper called safety a top priority. He cited safe schools, emergency relief, road safety and criminal justice transparency as areas of focus.

Economy: Pepper said he would work to lower costs for Ohio families across housing, healthcare, energy, child care, drug prices and property taxes.