Ohio 6th District Voter Guide: Rulli and Kirtley on Health Care and the Local Economy
Two candidates are on the Nov. 3 ballot in Ohio's 6th Congressional District: Republican U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli of Salem and Democrat Elizabeth Kirtley, a small business owner from New Philadelphia. The Digital Free Press voter guide video compares where they stand on health care and the local economy.
Wikipedia's summary of the new map says the district covers parts of Appalachian Ohio and the Mahoning Valley, including Youngstown, Steubenville and Massillon. Rulli won the seat in a June 2024 special election after Republican Bill Johnson resigned to become president of Youngstown State University, The Intelligencer of Wheeling reported, and he won a full term that November with 66.7 percent of the vote, according to Wikipedia's summary of the results.
Why Health Care and the Local Economy Are Issues in Ohio's 6th District
The Cook Political Report rates the race Solid Republican in its Oct. 23, 2026 ratings. Inside Elections rates it Solid Republican, a rating it set on Dec. 5, 2025. Sabato's Crystal Ball lists it as Safe Republican, as of April 10, 2025, according to Wikipedia's ratings table. The Digital Free Press found no public polls of the race.
Kirtley told WFMJ-TV her focus is overhauling health care and regulating data centers, the station reported. Rulli told The Intelligencer that his biggest accomplishment in Congress is his seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which handles health and energy policy.
On health care, the TDFP video says Rulli "supports price transparency, competition, lower prescription drug prices and less waste in the health care system." It says Kirtley "calls for changes to the Affordable Care Act and an overhaul of hospital and pharmaceutical systems, including limits on drug company profits from medicines such as insulin and chemotherapy."
On the local economy, the video says Rulli "supports lower taxes, fewer regulations, expanded domestic energy production and rebuilding American manufacturing." It says Kirtley "supports reinvesting in local farmers and small businesses" and "calls for federal regulation of data centers to protect host communities."
Michael Rulli (Republican, Incumbent)
Rulli served in the Ohio Senate and on the Leetonia school board, and was director of operations for his family's grocery business, Rulli Bros. Market, WFMJ reported. He sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
On health care, Rulli's House website says: "I am fighting for pricing transparency to empower consumers, drive competition, and lower costs across the board. No one should be blindsided by hidden fees or inflated medical bills." It adds: "We must also take aggressive action to lower drug prices and eliminate wasteful spending in our healthcare system." In September, he introduced the bipartisan CHC REBASE Act to update how Medicare pays community health centers. "Community health centers are the backbone of rural healthcare in Ohio's 6th District," he said in a statement.
On the local economy, his House website says: "I am committed to lowering taxes and cutting burdensome regulations to fuel economic growth and job creation. We must support our native industries and rebuild the manufacturing strength that once defined our region." He supports expanding "domestic energy development—including oil, natural gas, and clean coal," his site says. He told The Intelligencer: "I've introduced bills to do with Youngstown and bringing manufacturing here and creating union jobs because I'm the No. 1 creator of union jobs. All of these power plants are millions of hours of union jobs."
Elizabeth Kirtley (Democrat)
Kirtley, a freelance writer and small business owner, had not run for office before winning a six-way Democratic primary in May, The Intelligencer and WFMJ reported. She told The Intelligencer that Rulli "is more concerned about pleasing the president than actually pleasing his constituents." Rulli told the paper he would work with Democrats if they win the House: "Democrats are not evil and guess what? Trump isn't either."
On health care, Kirtley told WFMJ before the primary: "I think we do need changes to the Affordable Care Act but I think more importantly we need to govern how much pharmaceutical companies can make from certain prescriptions, especially things like insulin or chemotherapy." The station reported that she called for a complete "overhaul" of the pharmaceutical and hospital systems.
On the local economy, Kirtley's priorities include reinvesting in local farmers and small businesses in the Mahoning Valley, WFMJ reported. She told the station data centers must be federally regulated as more are built in Ohio: "It's not really benefitting communities but it's costing those communities everything." She also told The Intelligencer she would propose a subway system for Mahoning County.
Where to Follow the Candidates
Michael Rulli: @RepMichaelRulli on X. Elizabeth Kirtley: elizabethforus.com.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Ohio voters can check their registration and district at voteohio.gov. This guide is for information only; The Digital Free Press does not endorse any candidate.
Yossi Schmidt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Digital Free Press
Hold Everyone Accountable.
Sources: The Intelligencer (Oct. 28, 2026): https://www.theintelligencer.net/news/community/2026/10/rulli-faces-challenge-from-kirtley-for-u-s-house-seat/ ; WFMJ, "Decision 2026: Rulli, Kirtley face off": https://www.wfmj.com/news/political/decision-2026-rulli-kirtley-face-off-for-6th-district-congressional-seat/article_a935d803-96ad-4ace-9f73-2cf7cc626b93.html ; Rep. Rulli, health priorities: https://rulli.house.gov/issues/health/ ; Rep. Rulli, economy priorities: https://rulli.house.gov/issues/economy/ ; Rep. Rulli, energy priorities: https://rulli.house.gov/issues/energy/ ; Rep. Rulli, CHC REBASE Act (Sept. 16, 2026): https://rulli.house.gov/2026/09/16/rulli-introduces-bill-to-strengthen-medicare-payments-for-community-health-centers/ ; Elizabeth Kirtley for Congress: https://www.elizabethforus.com/issues ; Stark County Board of Elections, 2026 general election candidate list: https://www.starkcountyohio.gov/Board%20of%20Elections/Candidates%20List%20General.pdf ; Cook Political Report House ratings: https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings ; Inside Elections House ratings: https://insideelections.com/ratings/house ; Wikipedia, 2026 U.S. House elections in Ohio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections_in_Ohio ; Ohio Secretary of State: https://www.voteohio.gov/
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