U.S. House, Ohio 5th Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in Ohio's 5th Congressional District?
Bob Latta has the strongest record in Ohio's 5th Congressional District. Bob Latta scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Brian Shaver at 61, as of October 9, 2026. Bob Latta's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Brian Shaver's highest marks are accountability and relevant experience. Michael Veloff (3 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
Bob Latta
69 / 100
Public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 69
Democratic
Brian Shaver
On the ballot as Brian A. Shaver
61 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 65
- Performance
- NR
Libertarian
Michael Veloff
On the ballot as Michael J. Veloff
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 3 of 15 criteria
- Character
- NR
- Qualifications
- 42
- 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.
Bob Latta
- On the record2025-04
His office declined a constituent-organized town hall request; WTVG reported his website listed a last district event in 2015.
Sources: WTVG 13abc, April 10, 2025, BG Independent News, July 28, 2026
- On the record2020-12
Signed the House members' amicus brief supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania, then voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors.
Sources: Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives, House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021
- Credit2025 to 2026
Chairs the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy.
Source: GovTrack, committee membership
- Credit2007 to 2026
Missed 39 of 11,584 House roll call votes, 0.3 percent.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
- Credit2007 to 2026
Primary sponsor of 16 enacted bills, including the Over-the-Counter Monograph Drug User Fee Amendments.
Source: GovTrack, enacted legislation
Brian Shaver
- On the record2026-06 to 2026-07
Held open 'taco town halls' in each county of the district under a 'Tacos and Transparency Tour'.
- On the record2026
Serves as president of Fostoria City Council while teaching social studies at Fostoria Junior/Senior High School.
Source: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Michael Veloff
- On the record2026-10
Ran with the tagline 'Drunk Uncle for Congress' and told Richland Source some early survey positions were from a 'meme phase'.
Source: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Bob Latta. His 2025 annual financial disclosure was filed May 4, 2026; no late periodic transaction report found in the 2019 to 2026 Clerk index. No House Ethics or FEC finding found.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075087, FEC administrative fines search
Brian Shaver. Filed a House candidate financial disclosure on May 13, 2026; campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Bob Latta. No public record found.
Brian Shaver. No public record found.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Bob Latta. No public record found.
Brian Shaver. Holds open in-person 'taco town halls' across the district's counties, meeting voters of any party.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Bob Latta. Wood County commissioner, state senator and state representative before Congress, with no censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Bob Latta
Brian Shaver. President of Fostoria City Council and a high school social studies teacher. No formal conduct finding found.
Source: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Michael Veloff. 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.
Bob Latta. Voted Nay on both January 2021 objections to certified electors. Signed the December 2020 House amicus brief in Texas v. Pennsylvania, which E2 reports but does not score when the member then voted to accept every state's electors.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 10, 2021, House Clerk Roll Call 11, 2021, Texas v. Pennsylvania, amicus brief of 126 Representatives
Brian Shaver. Holds sworn local office as Fostoria City Council president. No misuse-of-office finding found.
Source: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Bob Latta. In the U.S. House since December 2007, seeking an 11th term, after serving in the Ohio Senate, the Ohio House and as Wood County commissioner.
Sources: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026, Ballotpedia, Bob Latta
Brian Shaver. President of Fostoria City Council (elected local office), social studies teacher and teachers' union president at Fostoria Junior/Senior High School.
Sources: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026, BG Independent News, July 28, 2026
Michael Veloff. A 2001 Ohio State-Mansfield graduate and writer who has worked as a campaign staffer since 2020. Little documented leadership experience.
Source: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Bob Latta. Chairs the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and laid out energy transmission and debt priorities in a Richland Source interview.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Brian Shaver. Published reform positions in general terms: campaign finance limits, term limits and limits on officials profiting from office.
Source: Campaign site
Michael Veloff. Published positions in his Ballotpedia survey and an interview, which he described as partly from an early 'meme phase'; he says he would lower the drinking age.
Source: Richland Source, Oct. 1, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Bob Latta. Offers an e-mail newsletter on his House site and gave Richland Source an interview. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Office site, Ballotpedia, Bob Latta
Brian Shaver. Publishes issue positions on his campaign site, holds town hall events and answered Richland Source questions. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Sources: Campaign site, BG Independent News, July 28, 2026, Ballotpedia, Brian Shaver
Michael Veloff. Completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey and gave Richland Source an interview.
Source: Ballotpedia, Michael Veloff
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Bob Latta. Born in Bluffton, Ohio, educated at Bowling Green State University and a former Wood County commissioner. About 64 percent of itemized individual contributions by state came from Ohio through June 30, 2026 (FEC).
Sources: Ballotpedia, Bob Latta, FEC contribution totals by state
Brian Shaver. Born and raised in Fostoria, where he still lives. FEC by-state data list no itemized individual contributions.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Bob Latta. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, coverage dates, FEC administrative fines search
Brian Shaver. Campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026, with no administrative fine found.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Bob Latta. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.862 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.490, rated as meeting expectations. Primary sponsor of 16 enacted bills, including H.R. 4273 on over-the-counter drug user fees.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation
Brian Shaver. No public record found.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Bob Latta. Missed 39 of 11,584 roll call votes, 0.3 percent, from December 2007 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Brian Shaver. No public record found.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Bob Latta. His House site offers help with federal agencies, seniors' services and scam reporting. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site
Brian Shaver. No public record found.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Bob Latta. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index, 118th Congress (2023): score -0.78069, rank 287 of 436. Negative, not bottom quarter.
Brian Shaver. No public record found.
Michael Veloff. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Bob Latta. No public record found.
Brian Shaver. No public record found.
Michael Veloff. 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 5th Congressional District?
Bob Latta has the strongest record in Ohio's 5th Congressional District. Bob Latta scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Brian Shaver at 61, as of October 9, 2026. Bob Latta's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Brian Shaver's highest marks are accountability and relevant experience. Michael Veloff (3 of 15 criteria) has 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 5th Congressional District in 2026?
Bob Latta (Republican, incumbent), Brian Shaver (Democratic), Michael Veloff (Libertarian). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Bob Latta a good candidate for Congress?
Bob Latta scores 69 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 12 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 69 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Brian Shaver a good candidate for Congress?
Brian Shaver scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 65 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Michael Veloff a good candidate for Congress?
Michael Veloff has public evidence on 3 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.