U.S. House, Ohio 15th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Ohio's 15th Congressional District?
Mike Carey has the strongest record in Ohio's 15th Congressional District. Mike Carey scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Mike Carey's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Brennan Barrington (4 of 15 criteria), Gary Josephson (1 of 15 criteria), Don Leonard (5 of 15 criteria) and Samuel Ronan (2 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Libertarian
Brennan Barrington
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 4 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 44
- Performance
- NR
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Mike Carey
65 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- 75
Independent
Gary Josephson
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 1 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Democratic
Don Leonard
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 5 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
Write-in
Samuel Ronan
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 2 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 50
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Brennan Barrington
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Mike Carey
- On the record2023-12-01
Voted Yea on the resolution expelling Rep. George Santos, which passed; Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise voted Nay.
Source: House Clerk Roll Call 691, 2023
- Credit2024-10-04
Sponsored the COCOA Act of 2024 (H.R. 6513), which was signed into law Oct. 4, 2024.
Gary Josephson
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Don Leonard
- Unresolved2026-03-28
Arrested March 28, 2026 at a Grove City protest after using a bullhorn; cited under the city noise ordinance and charged with obstructing official business.
Where it stands: Charged; a court appearance was set for April 15, 2026; no disposition found in news reports through Oct. 9, 2026 (hand check the Grove City court docket).
Sources: WOSU, March 30, 2026, WSYX ABC 6, April 2026
Samuel Ronan
No notable items confirmed in news archives or public documents.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 filed with the House Clerk Aug. 13, 2026, amended Aug. 18. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found; no periodic transaction reports in the Clerk index for 2021 to 2026.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081577, House Committee on Ethics site search for Carey, FEC administrative fines search
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, and a House candidate financial disclosure was filed July 28, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081075, FEC administrative fines search
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Voted to expel Rep. George Santos in 2023 and for the 2026 Ukraine Support Act when the Speaker and Majority Leader voted no, and against the April 2024 FISA reauthorization they backed.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 691, 2023, House Clerk Roll Call 207, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 119, 2024
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. No public record found.
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Served in the Army Reserve, led the Ohio Coal Association and has been in Congress since November 2021. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Mike Carey, House Committee on Ethics site search for Carey
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Served in the Army Reserve from 1989 to 1999 and has held sworn federal office since November 2021, after the January 2021 electoral count. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. Served in the U.S. Air Force from 2009 to 2021. No official finding of misconduct found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Samuel Ronan
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Brennan Barrington. Aerospace engineering graduate of Ohio State University (2019) and a Libertarian Party delegate and central committee member; no professional leadership role documented.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brennan Barrington
Mike Carey. In the U.S. House since November 2021, now completing his second full term; earlier an energy company executive and president of the Ohio Coal Association.
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. Taught city and regional planning at Ohio State University, holds a Cornell doctorate in government and served two years in the Peace Corps. Has not held public office.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Brennan Barrington. Lists cutting taxes, spending and regulation and returning power to states in his Ballotpedia survey, in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brennan Barrington
Mike Carey. Serves on the Ways and Means Committee, including its Social Security and Work and Welfare subcommittees, and on House Administration. Publishes priority pages.
Sources: House office site, Committees and Caucuses, House office site, home page
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. Lists campaign themes such as wages and the economy in his Ballotpedia survey, mostly in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, Don Leonard
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Brennan Barrington. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brennan Barrington
Mike Carey. Offers an e-newsletter and publishes priority pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: House office site, home page, Ballotpedia, Mike Carey
Gary Josephson. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022; has not completed the 2026 survey.
Source: Ballotpedia, Gary Josephson
Don Leonard. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026 and publishes a values page on his campaign site.
Samuel Ronan. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, Samuel Ronan
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Brennan Barrington. Born and raised in central Ohio and has lived there all but two years of his life; a graduate of Licking Heights High School. No official address record opened.
Source: Ballotpedia, Brennan Barrington
Mike Carey. Raised in Sabina and lives in Columbus; the district includes part of Franklin County. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 47 percent of itemized individual contributions from Ohio.
Sources: House office site, About, FEC contribution totals by state
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.342 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.194, meets expectations. Primary sponsor of four enacted bills, including the COCOA Act of 2024, signed Oct. 4, 2024.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 6513 (118th Congress)
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Missed 17 of 2,556 roll call votes, 0.7 percent, from November 2021 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Runs district offices in Columbus and Piqua and offers help with federal agencies. No published casework totals found.
Source: House office site, About
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.08228 in the latest posted House scores (2023), ranked 120 of 436, a positive score outside the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Brennan Barrington. No public record found.
Mike Carey. No public record found.
Gary Josephson. No public record found.
Don Leonard. No public record found.
Samuel Ronan. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in Ohio's 15th Congressional District?
Mike Carey has the strongest record in Ohio's 15th Congressional District. Mike Carey scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Mike Carey's highest marks are relevant experience and showing up. Brennan Barrington (4 of 15 criteria), Gary Josephson (1 of 15 criteria), Don Leonard (5 of 15 criteria) and Samuel Ronan (2 of 15 criteria) have too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in Ohio's 15th Congressional District in 2026?
Brennan Barrington (Libertarian), Mike Carey (Republican, incumbent), Gary Josephson (Independent), Don Leonard (Democratic), Samuel Ronan (Write-in). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Brennan Barrington a good candidate for Congress?
Brennan Barrington has public evidence on 4 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Mike Carey a good candidate for Congress?
Mike Carey scores 65 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Gary Josephson a good candidate for Congress?
Gary Josephson has public evidence on 1 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Don Leonard a good candidate for Congress?
Don Leonard has public evidence on 5 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
Is Samuel Ronan a good candidate for Congress?
Samuel Ronan has public evidence on 2 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Ohio race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the Ohio 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.