LaRose Announces Candidacy for Auditor of State

February 11, 2026

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose officially announced today his campaign for Ohio Auditor of State, highlighting a plan to bring transparency, efficiency and accountability to state and local governments.

“I’ve always answered the call of duty, and I’ve had a lot of encouragement from across Ohio to consider serving in this important office,” said LaRose. “They’ve asked me to build on what we’ve done in the Secretary of State’s office, where we’ve made Ohio a national leader in election administration and economic development by focusing on the highest performance standards. I believe we can do the same for government offices and agencies across the state, and I have a plan to help them more openly and efficiently manage our tax dollars but also to hold them accountable when they don’t.”

Secretary LaRose vowed to implement some of the same operational efficiency standards being deployed throughout the federal government by the Trump administration through the Department of Government Efficiency. He also commended incumbent Ohio Auditor Keith Faber for his steady, conservative leadership in the office and plans to work with Auditor Faber to continue building on his successful programs to identify fraud, uncover government waste and abuse, stop cybercrimes and root out public corruption. LaRose will remain focused on serving as Secretary of State, working to maintain Ohio’s reputation as a gold standard for elections and helping Ohio entrepreneurs live their American dream by starting a new business.

Secretary LaRose announced his plan to seek the Auditor of State’s office in a video to supporters this morning. View the video announcement here.

Background: Frank LaRose currently serves as Ohio’s 51st Secretary of State, a statewide constitutional office he’s held since 2019. During his administration, he’s earned national recognition for unprecedented efforts to bolster election integrity, while helping Ohioans incorporate a record number of new businesses. LaRose won re-election to a second term in 2022 with more votes than anyone in the history of the office and set the all-time fundraising record raising more than any previous Secretary of State earning the support of thousands of hard-working Ohioans. He previously served as a member of the Ohio Senate for two terms. A native of Akron, LaRose enlisted in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division out of high school and served our nation on the front lines of combat and in other critical posts around the world, from Iraq and Kosovo to Morocco, Oman, and the U.S. southern border. Recognized for his leadership, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant at only 20 years old. He later became a member of the Special Forces as a Green Beret, earning numerous commendations and medals including four Army Achievement Medals and two Army Commendation Medals during his years of active service around the world. For his exemplary service in Iraq, he earned the Bronze Star. LaRose returned home to graduate from The Ohio State University. He lives in suburban Columbus with his wife, Lauren, and three daughters, Hadley, Ellie and Lainey. In addition to his public service, LaRose is a Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he is a member of an Army Special Operations unit.