Knickerbocker defeats Turner, flips Ohio House seat for Democrats

Democrat Kristina Knickerbocker is projected to win Ohio’s 10th District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

Knickerbocker defeated longtime Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) in a district the incumbent comfortably held for more than two decades. The Democrat garnered just over 49 percent of the vote while the incumbent notched nearly 48 percent, with 65 percent of the vote reported early Wednesday.

Turner, a former mayor of Dayton, Ohio, was first elected to Congress in 2002 and most recently won reelection in 2024 by roughly 18 percentage points. But this year’s contest proved to be a different story.

Knickerbocker, a veteran, entered the race as a first-time congressional candidate, hoping to capitalize on growing frustration over affordability and President Trump’s economic policies.

DDHQ rated the seat “likely Republican” heading into Election Day.

The Democrat leaned heavily on her background in healthcare, emphasizing rising medical costs and access to treatment while criticizing federal spending cuts that she argued would hurt working families.

She secured the Democratic nomination in May after emerging from a crowded six-candidate primary.

Knickerbocker has worked as a neuro-oncology nurse practitioner at the Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and served in both the Air Force and Air Force Reserve.

Turner, meanwhile, pointed to his experience in Washington, D.C., particularly on national security and defense issues. The Republican, who is backed by President Trump, previously chaired the House Intelligence Committee and has been a prominent voice on military policy.