Amy Acton Won't Run For Senate In Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH — Amy Acton will not run for U.S. Senate.

The former director of the Ohio Department of Health announced she would not seek to replace Sen. Rob Portman. She issued a statement saying she meditated on a run, but decided instead to pull back from public life, according to Fox 8.

With Acton out of the running, there is no clear cut choice for Democrats to run for Portman's seat. Portman, a longtime Republican figure in Ohio, announced he would not seek re-election in January 2021.

Several Republicans are jockeying for pole position within their party, and Democrats will now see a similar scramble with Acton withdrawing from consideration.

Acton rose to fame during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her daily news conferences with Gov. Mike DeWine drew eyeballs from around the state and even inspired T-shirts and drinking games.

Portions of the populace turned against Acton and DeWine as the pandemic drew on. Vitriol was particularly directed against Acton, who signed health orders issuing statewide shutdowns for many businesses so Ohio could stymie the spread of COVID-19.

Protests began outside of her home, often with armed men marching around Acton's street. Anti-Semitic signs, Acton is Jewish, also appeared at protests outside the Ohio Statehouse. Within three months of the COVID-19 pandemic beginning, Acton resigned from her role as director of the state health department.

She initially remained a part of DeWine's administration, taking on the role of chief health advisor. By August 2021, she resigned that role too and took a position with the Columbus Foundation.

When Portman announced he would not seek re-election, Acton left her role at the foundation and publicly mulled a run for Senate. Ultimately, she decided not to re-enter public life.