Rep. Mike Carey, a Republican, is seeking reelection to Ohio's 15th Congressional District in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The district includes Dublin.
Carey has held the seat since 2021. He faces Don Leonard (Democratic), Brennan Barrington (Libertarian) and Samuel Ronan (No Party Preference), according to BallotReady election data.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Age: Born 1971
- Education: High school diploma, East Clinton High School; associate's degree in economics, Marion Military Institute (1991); bachelor's degree in history, The Ohio State University (1993)
- Residence: Ohio's 15th Congressional District
Carey said on his campaign website that he grew up in inner-city Cincinnati, raised by a single mother. His family later moved to rural Sabina, Ohio, where he said he was raised on a family farm. He said he earned an ROTC scholarship and attended Marion Military Institute.
Experience and public service
Carey served as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1989 to 1990, according to BallotReady. He then entered politics. He worked as a staff member in the Ohio Senate from 1991 to 1993 and as a congressional staff member in the U.S. House from 1995 to 1998.
He served as president of the Ohio Coal Association from 1999 to 2012 and as principal at Move Ohio LLC from 2004 to 2011, according to BallotReady. He has served as vice president of government affairs at American Consolidated Natural Resources Inc. since 2020.
In Congress, Carey said he serves as vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, chairman of the House Communications Standards Commission and NRCC chair for operations and reform at the National Republican Congressional Committee.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Carey's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses.
Taxes and spending: Carey said he worked with congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump to pass the Working Families Tax Cuts, which he called "the largest tax cut in American history."
He said the legislation codified no taxes on tips, no taxes on overtime and tax deductions for seniors on Social Security. It also made the 2017 Trump tax cuts permanent, he said.
Carey said he voted to codify the Department of Government Efficiency's cuts and to enact work requirements for Medicaid.
Social Security: Carey said he played a role in passing the Social Security Fairness Act in 2025, ending what he described as antiquated regulations on Social Security benefits for retired public employees such as teachers, police officers and firefighters.
Border security and immigration: Carey said he voted to pass the Laken Riley Act and supported $175 billion for border security in the Working Families Tax Cuts.
Public safety: Carey said he voted to pass the HALT Fentanyl Act, which classified fentanyl and its analogues as Schedule I substances. He said he has secured more than $50 million for constituents, including a $25 million grant for road and bridge improvements on Alum Creek Drive in Franklin County.
Guns: Carey stated his position as: "The Constitution IS absolute and – the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."
Endorsements
The following endorsements are listed on Carey's campaign website and BallotReady profile data:
- Donald J. Trump, Save America PAC
- American Israel Public Affairs Committee
- Log Cabin Republicans
- Buckeye Firearms Association
- Franklin County Republican Party
- Guardian Fund PAC
Candidate positions and claims about legislative accomplishments are based on Carey's campaign website and BallotReady questionnaire responses. The Dublin Ledger did not independently verify each claim.
