Former Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Amy Acton announced on Tuesday that she is running as a Democrat for state governor.
“I’m a doctor, not a politician,” she said in a statement, according to The Hill. “I solve problems by bringing people together regardless of party to find solutions. So unlike most of our leaders I know the answer to moving our state forward isn’t giving politicians more power, it’s giving people more freedom.”
“Today, I filed papers to run for Governor because I refuse to look away from Ohioans who are struggling while self-serving politicians and special interests take our state in the wrong direction,” she added. “It’s time to give power back to the people and our communities. It’s time for a change.”
Acton became a fixture in Ohio households during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the ODH Director during the early days of COVID-19, she led the state’s effort to battle the illness.
She gained national attention from the media for her daily press conferences during the pandemic in 2020.