Midterm elections heat up; armed man charges Ohio Democratic candidate

During a campaign event at the Canfield Fair in Canfield, Ohio, on Sunday, September 6, 2026, an armed individual identified as Patrick Havas, 38, charged toward Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor. Havas reportedly pushed through the crowd, injuring several attendees, including two elderly people, while attempting to reach Acton.

Law enforcement, including the Ohio State Highway Patrol, quickly apprehended Havas. Authorities stated that Havas was carrying a taser and two pistols, and brass knuckles were also recovered, though no weapons were brandished or removed from their holsters during the incident. Acton was not physically harmed during the altercation.

Havas was subsequently arrested and booked on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. The incident, occurring in the final weeks before the November 3 gubernatorial election, drew widespread condemnation from political figures across both parties, including Republican Governor Mike DeWine and Acton's Republican opponent, Vivek Ramaswamy, who emphasized that violence has no place in political discourse.