(The Ohio Statehouse/Wikimedia Commons)

For most of us reaching voting age in the upcoming years, the Ohio gubernatorial election will be the first time that we will officially have a say in our government.

The 2018 race for the Ohio governorship is already shaping up to be an important one. In our pivotal swing state, often indicative of the entire nation’s political leanings, the results will reveal where the nation’s allegiances lie heading into midterm elections.

Headlining the Democratic candidates are former Cleveland mayor, Dennis Kucinich, Ohio Supreme Court justice, William O’Neill, and Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray. Rounding out this Democratic primary field are state congress-members Connie Pillich and John Schiavoni. 

From the Ohio GOP faction, State Attorney general Mike Dewine and Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor seek to keep the Ohio governorship in Republican hands.

With these Republican candidates on the defensive due to the antics of the current president and the Democrats seeking to retake our crucial statehouse, the gubernatorial race in our state could play out to be nasty, and one that sets the stage for bigger races throughout the country in upcoming years.