Incumbent Marcy Kaptur (D), Derek Merrin (R), and Matthew Althaus (L) are running in the general election for Ohio's 9th Congressional District on November 3, 2026.

The election is taking place in the context of redistricting that changed the boundaries of the 9th District from those used in 2024. Inside Elections' Nathaniel Rakich said, "[The] 9th District, which runs along the Michigan border and the Lake Erie coast from Toledo to Sandusky, was already tough for a Democrat, but it has gotten even tougher with the addition of a few conservative inland counties ... Kaptur, though, is a proven overperformer. In 2022, she won by 13 points in a district that Trump would carry by 7 points two years later."

Kaptur defeated Merrin 48.3%–47.6% under the old district lines in 2024. An analysis by The Downballot of the 2024 presidential election using the 2026 district lines concluded that President Donald Trump (R) received 54.8% of the vote in 2024 in the 2026 version of the 9th District and Kamala Harris (D) received 44.2% of the vote in 2024 in the 2026 version of the 9th District. As of August 2026, major election forecasters rated the general election Lean Democratic, Toss-up, or Tilt Republican.

Kaptur was elected to the House in 1982. She earlier worked as an urban planner, including at the National Center for Ethnic Affairs and in the administration of President Jimmy Carter (D). Kaptur's campaign website says, "Marcy Kaptur is a fighter for high-wage jobs, growing a workforce to meet the needs of the 21st century, and protecting our region’s most vital natural resource, the Great Lakes. She’s worked with both parties to secure investments in our communities."

Merrin is a real estate investor. He served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2016 to 2024 and ran unsuccessfully against Kaptur in 2024. Merrin's campaign website says, "For the last 8 years, I have led the fight for conservative values at the Ohio Statehouse. Now, I'm ready to take the fight to Washington - defending our constitutional rights, demanding fiscal responsibility, and bolstering Northwest Ohio's economy."

As of June 30, 2026, Kaptur had raised $4.3 million and Merrin had raised $1.5 million.

The outcome of this race will affect the partisan balance of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 120th Congress. All 435 U.S. House districts are up for election.

Currently, Republicans have a 219-212 majority with four vacancies in the chamber.