Both parties will have primary races in May to select the combatants in the November election.
On the Republican side, former Congressman Rob Portman of the Cincinnati area will face Cleveland car dealer Tom Ganley.
Among the Democrats, it will be Ohio Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher facing Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
The winner of those two races will square off in the general election in what will be the highest profile competition of the year.
Close behind in importance is the race for governor, featuring incumbent Ted Strickland and challenger John Kasich.
Strickland, a Democrat, is finishing his first term after spending many months trying to balance the state’s budget.
Kasich, a former Republican Congressman from Central Ohio, has pledged to cut spending.
None of the above candidates have any direct ties to the Miami Valley, but all of them will be looking to the Dayton region for both financial support and votes.
The other candidate matchups are listed here:
Ohio Attorney General: Richard Cordray – (D) incumbent Mike DeWine-(R) Dave Yost-(R)