Acton is the first Democrat to become governor of Ohio since 2006. Democrat Amy Acton has been elected as the US state of Ohio’s next governor, delivering a stunning defeat to Republican Vivek Ramaswamy in a race that captured headlines across the country. Acton, a physician who served as outgoing Republican Governor Mike DeWine’s top health official, faced countless attacks over her response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Spending in the hotly contested race topped an unprecedented $100m.