--- title: "Kirtley vs. Rulli: 2026 Ohio’s 6th District race" url: "https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-oh-06" updated: "2026-08-01" source: "Candidates' campaign sites and Ballotpedia, quoted verbatim" publisher: "Pluribus" --- # 2026 Ohio’s 6th District race: Elizabeth Kirtley (D) vs. Michael Rulli (R) Rating: Safe R · Election: November 3, 2026 · Ballot checked: October 9, 2026 · Positions captured: August 1, 2026 In Ohio's 6th Congressional District, Republican incumbent Michael Rulli faces Democratic nominee Elizabeth Kirtley in the November 3, 2026 general election following mid-decade congressional redistricting. The race presents a distinct contrast between Rulli, a conservative former state senator and local business owner endorsed by Donald Trump, and Kirtley, a Democratic nominee running on a platform that features abolishing ICE, codifying Roe v. Wade, and legislating news accuracy. ## Candidates - **Elizabeth Kirtley** (Democrat) · [Campaign site](https://www.elizabethforus.com/) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) - **Michael Rulli** (Republican, incumbent) · [Campaign site](https://www.michaelrulli.com) · [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Michael_Rulli) ## Issues ### Abortion and reproductive rights Salience: high Kirtley supports codifying Roe v. Wade nationwide, whereas Rulli voted against establishing a constitutional right to abortion in Ohio. **Elizabeth Kirtley:** Supports codifying Roe v. Wade Kirtley advocates for codifying Roe v. Wade at the federal level to ensure abortion access and bodily autonomy nationwide. She argues that reproductive healthcare choices belong between a woman, her doctor, and her God regardless of state lines. - Codify Roe v. Wade into federal law to guarantee abortion rights - Protect healthcare access and choices across state lines > “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness includes a Woman’s Right to Choose.” > — Elizabeth Kirtley, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) > “Our Bodies don’t change as we cross state lines and neither should the laws governing them. This is a choice that is between a woman, her doctor, and her God.” > — Elizabeth Kirtley, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) **Michael Rulli:** Opposes constitutional abortion protections Rulli holds anti-abortion positions and has opposed efforts to enact state constitutional abortion protections. As a state senator, he formally voted to oppose Ohio's 2023 reproductive rights constitutional amendment. - Voted to oppose Ohio Issue 1 in 2023, which established a state constitutional right to reproductive choices ### Immigration and border security Salience: high Kirtley advocates abolishing ICE to protect due process, while Rulli votes for federal mandates to detain and deport undocumented immigrants who commit offenses. **Elizabeth Kirtley:** Supports abolishing ICE for due process Kirtley explicitly advocates abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She contends that any entity or agency that restricts basic constitutional rights and due process should not exist. - Abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Guarantee constitutional due process rights for all individuals > “Due Process is a right; not a privilege. Any one person, any one thing or any entity that prohibits our basic Constitutional Rights – considered by some to have a sacredness- especially Rights of Freedoms of Speech, Assembly, Peaceful Protest, and Religion & Due Process – should not exist.” > — Elizabeth Kirtley, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) **Michael Rulli:** Supports stricter border enforcement and deportation mandates Rulli supports strict immigration enforcement and penalizing undocumented immigrants who commit crimes. In Congress, he voted for mandatory detention of undocumented individuals charged with theft and legislation making impaired driving grounds for deportation. - Voted Yea on the Laken Riley Act (S.5) requiring DHS to detain undocumented individuals arrested for burglary or theft - Voted Yea on H.R.875 to make driving while impaired grounds for deportation or barring entry for undocumented immigrants ### Voting rights and election integrity Salience: medium Kirtley focuses on guaranteeing equal unbought voting power, while Rulli supports federal proof-of-citizenship registration requirements and opposed redistricting reform. **Elizabeth Kirtley:** Supports equal voting rights protection Kirtley champions fair and safe voting based on the principle of one person, one vote. She argues that individual votes must not be bought or sold to ensure equal opportunity in elections. - Ensure fair and safe voting in all elections - Protect equal representation by prohibiting the buying or selling of votes > “Life, Liberty, and Justice for All means every American gets have one vote; no more and no less; additional votes individually can neither be bought nor sold; these principles ensure every individual has equal opportunity and voice in the voting booth.” > — Elizabeth Kirtley, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) **Michael Rulli:** Supports proof of citizenship requirements Rulli emphasizes election integrity on his platform and voted for federal legislation requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote. He also formally opposed establishing an independent citizens redistricting commission in Ohio. - Voted Yea on the SAVE Act (H.R. 22) requiring proof of citizenship for federal voter registration - Opposed Ohio Issue 1 in 2024 regarding the Citizens Redistricting Commission Initiative - Lists 'ELECTION INTEGRTIY' among primary campaign priorities ### Economy, taxes, and federal budget Salience: medium **Elizabeth Kirtley:** No documented position in our sources **Michael Rulli:** Supports Republican fiscal reconciliation and business growth Rulli highlights his background as a grocery market executive and school board president who balanced budgets without raising taxes. In Congress, he voted for major Republican budget reconciliation legislation and appropriations bills. - Voted Yea on H.R.1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) covering funding, debt limit increases, and tax policy - Voted Yea on FY 2025 budget resolution H.Con.Res.14 - Voted Yea on full-year and continuing federal appropriations (H.R.1968, H.R.5371) - Lists 'JOBS & ECONOMY' and 'SMALL BUSINESSES' as core priorities ### Media regulation and speech Salience: medium **Elizabeth Kirtley:** Supports mandatory factual standards for news outlets Kirtley proposes legislation requiring national news outlets to strictly adhere to ethical dissemination of truthful information. Under her proposal, only organizations providing verified facts would be legally permitted to use the title of news agency. - Legislate requirements for national news outlets to disseminate truthful information - Restrict the legal designation of 'News' agency to entities presenting verified facts > “National News Stations and News Papers must be required to adhere to ethical dissemination of truthful speech and information.” > — Elizabeth Kirtley, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) > “Americans have the right to news being factual and truthful – therefore entities that provide facts would be the only to be granted this title per legislation and would help to make news and government trustworthy again.” > — Elizabeth Kirtley, via [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Elizabeth_Kirtley) **Michael Rulli:** No documented position in our sources ### LGBTQ+ policy and education Salience: low **Elizabeth Kirtley:** No documented position in our sources **Michael Rulli:** Supports restricting transgender sports participation Rulli supports conservative education policies and voted for federal legislation prohibiting school athletic programs from allowing transgender females to compete in sports designated for women or girls. - Voted Yea on the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 (H.R. 28) - Lists 'BETTER SCHOOLS' among platform priorities ### Second Amendment and gun rights Salience: low **Elizabeth Kirtley:** No documented position in our sources **Michael Rulli:** Supports protecting gun ownership rights Rulli features defending Second Amendment rights as a core pillar of his conservative platform. - Includes 'RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS' as a primary campaign priority ### Energy policy Salience: low **Elizabeth Kirtley:** No documented position in our sources **Michael Rulli:** Supports American energy independence Rulli prioritizes energy independence for Ohio families and serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. - Identifies 'ENERGY INDEPENDENCE' as a top platform priority - Serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Subcommittee on Energy ### Judicial authority and court rulings Salience: low **Elizabeth Kirtley:** No documented position in our sources **Michael Rulli:** Supports limiting federal nationwide injunctions Rulli voted for legislation restricting federal district courts from issuing nationwide injunctions, limiting court orders strictly to the parties involved in the case. - Voted Yea on the No Rogue Rulings Act / NORRA of 2025 (H.R.1526) ## Polls and markets _Updated Oct 31._ - [Polymarket](https://polymarket.com/event/oh-06-house-election-winner) — OH-06 House Election Winner: Republicans 97.1%, Democrats 2.6% - [Kalshi](https://kalshi.com/events/KXHOUSERACE-OH06-26) — OH-06 House winner?: Michael Rulli 96.3%, Elizabeth Kirtley 4.3% [View this race on 2026election.com](https://www.2026election.com/race/2026-house-oh-06)