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Former ICE official falls short in Ohio battleground district GOP primary
TL;DR
Former ICE official Madison Sheahan lost the GOP primary in Ohio's 9th Congressional District, allowing Derek Merrin to secure the nomination again. Merrin will face Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in the upcoming election.
Key points
- Madison Sheahan lost the GOP primary in Ohio's 9th District
- Derek Merrin will face Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in November
- Republicans were relieved by Sheahan's defeat due to concerns about her background
- The district was redrawn to be more favorable for Republicans
- Merrin previously lost to Kaptur by less than one percentage point
Mentioned in this story
Madison SheahanDerek MerrinMarcy KapturICERepublican Party
Former ICE official Madison Sheahan lost a GOP primary in a battleground Ohio House district on Tuesday, a relief to Republicans who worried she could sabotage their chances of flipping the seat.
Former state Rep. Derek Merrin won the GOP nomination in the 9th Congressional District for the second cycle in a row, and will face Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in November. He lost to Kaptur by less than one percentage point in 2024.
Republicans see the seat as a prime pickup opportunity after the Ohio legislature redrew the state’s congressional map to make the district more favorable for Republicans.
Merrin’s victory comes with a sigh of relief from Republicans in the state who raised concerns about Sheahan’s background — she served as former deputy ICE director under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — being a soft target for Kaptur in a general election.
Sheahan drew attacks from fellow Republicans in the primary for her role in overseeing President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration enforcement operations in major cities, which triggered violent confrontations and protests.
Those clashes culminated in the killing of two American citizens by immigration officials in Minneapolis. Sheahan launched her campaign days after the killing of Renee Good, but before the death of Alex Pretti.
Trump didn’t endorse ahead of the primary, but the race was defined in part by candidates seeking to be the most MAGA candidate in the field. Sheahan ran TV ads touting her role at ICE and her connection to the Trump administration. Merrin went up with an ad in the race’s final days highlighting the endorsement he received from Trump during his 2024 campaign.
Kaptur starts the general election fight with a significant resource advantage over Merrin. Federal Election Commission filings from mid-April showed Kaptur with $3.1 million in cash on hand, dwarfing Merrin’s $189,000 in reserves.
Both the DCCC and the NRCC are expected to invest significantly in the race.
Q&A
Who won the GOP primary in Ohio's 9th Congressional District?
Derek Merrin won the GOP primary in Ohio's 9th Congressional District.
What were the concerns about Madison Sheahan in the GOP primary?
Republicans were concerned that Madison Sheahan's background as a former ICE official could make her a vulnerable candidate against Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur.
How did redistricting affect the GOP's chances in Ohio's 9th District?
The Ohio legislature redrew the congressional map to make the 9th District more favorable for Republicans, enhancing their chances of flipping the seat.
