CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Council member Seth Walsh has officially declared his candidacy for treasurer of the state, just days after he was sworn in for a second time to Cincinnati's city council.
"As state treasurer, I'll bring real transparency to how Ohio manages its money, because your family deserves to see where every dollar goes and why," Walsh said in his campaign announcement. "I'll protect public pensions while making smart investments and partnerships that strengthen our farmers, our neighborhoods and the long-term stability of our state."
Walsh was initially appointed to city council in 2022 to replace Greg Landsman, who was elected to Congress. Walsh was then elected by the voters to keep his seat in 2025, for a term that runs until 2028.
The Xavier University graduate's only public office roles have been on city council, but his campaign bio says he also served as executive director of the College Hill Urban Redevelopment Corporation before his appointment. Walsh is also a member of the Cincinnati Retirement System Board of Trustees.
Walsh's campaign announcement says he "believes that by strategically investing in Ohio's farms, public sector employees and small business entrepreneurs, we can lead a resurgence of our neighborhoods and positive growth for all communities."
Current Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague, a Republican, is actively running for Ohio Secretary of State in 2026.
Still, Walsh is the only Democrat to declare intent to run for the role of Ohio Treasurer; so far, he's up against Republican candidates Niraj Antani, Kristina Daley Roegner and Mike Zuren. Antani formerly served in the Ohio State Senate, representing District 6, but he left office in 2024 after announcing he did not plan to seek re-election for a Senate seat.
Roegner is a current member of the Ohio State Senate, representing District 27; her current term ends in December.
Zuren has worked as a professor and county treasurer, as well as in banking and investment, though he has not been elected at the state level. That's despite running against John Rogers for to represent District 60 in the Ohio House of Representatives in 2018; Rogers, the incumbent, won the race with 53.7% of the vote, while Zuren gained 46.3% of votes.
