{"id":2571749,"date":"2026-02-20T07:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T12:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-ice-deputy-director-seeks-gop-nomination-in-ohio\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T07:05:43","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T12:05:43","slug":"former-ice-deputy-director-seeks-gop-nomination-in-ohio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-ice-deputy-director-seeks-gop-nomination-in-ohio\/","title":{"rendered":"Former ICE deputy director seeks GOP nomination in Ohio"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fformer-ice-deputy-director-seeks-gop-nomination-in-ohio%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2571749&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>An open Ohio congressional race in the newly redrawn 9th District is shaping up as an early indicator of voters\u2019 views on the Trump governance\u2019s deportation tactics. Madison Sheahan, the former deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, announced on Jan. 15 that she\u2019s leaving ICE to pursue the Republican nomination to challenge longtime Democrat Marcy Kaptur in 2026. The district, which includes Toledo and northwest Ohio, is expected to be highly competitive, with a crowded Republican primary that includes Derek Merrin, Josh Williams, and Alea Nadeem ahead of a May 5 vote.<\/p>\n<p>Sheahan\u2019s campaign centers on defending ICE and promoting stricter immigration enforcement amid national controversy over deportation tactics and related incidents, such as fatal shootings in Minnesota that sparked protests and political friction. Kaptur, in office as 1982, faces a tougher path after redistricting but has pledged to run and defend her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/springsteen-silent-on-outrageously-high-ticket-prices\/\" title=\"Springsteen Silent On Outrageously High Ticket Pr...s\">blue-collar base<\/a> in a changing district. The race underscores how immigration policy and law enforcement are playing out in a key battleground state as Republicans seek to capitalize on Trump-era policies and Democrats navigate evolving public opinion.<\/p>\n<p>The article situates the contest within <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/group-sues-newsom-for-hiding-child-gender-status-from-parents\/\" title=\"Group Sues Newsom For Hiding Child Gender Status From Parents\">broader national debates<\/a>, noting polls that show ample and at times mixed support for ICE reform, and highlights how the Ohio matchup could reflect wider attitudes toward immigration enforcement in the upcoming election cycle.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Former ICE deputy director seeks GOP nomination in Ohio<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2501253\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>An open-seat <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ohio\/\">Ohio<\/a> congressional race is an early electoral gauge of the voting public&rsquo;s views on the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\">Trump administration<\/a>&lsquo;s deportation tactics.<\/p>\n<p>Madison Sheahan announced Jan. 15 that she was stepping down as deputy director of <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/ice\/\">Immigration and Customs Enforcement<\/a>, and seeking the Republican nomination to take on longtime Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH). Sheahan, 28, faces a crowded Republican primary field in a newly redrawn 9th Congressional District, which is likely to be one of the nation&rsquo;s most competitive House contests in the 2026 election cycle. House Democrats need to net three seats in November to claim a majority, and both parties are expected to play hard for the district covering Toledo and Ohio&rsquo;s northwest corner.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4455328\/walk-the-vote-americans-moving-scrambling-electoral-college\/\">Americans are moving in great numbers, and scrambling the Electoral College map<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/premium\/4462958\/democrats-learn-from-republicans-midterm-elections\/\">The coming progressive Tea Party<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4464511\/trump-pardons-clay-fuller-daughter-georgia-special-election\/\">Trump &#8216;pardons&#8217; Clay Fuller&#8217;s daughter in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-orders-release-of-files-related-to-aliens-and-ufos\/\" title=\"Trump orders release of files related to aliens and UFOs\">pre-special election trip<\/a> to MTG&#8217;s district<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>It&rsquo;s part of an Ohio congressional remap ahead of the midterm elections, spurred by a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >statewide voter-approved ballot initiative<\/a>. In 2024, President <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\">Donald Trump<\/a> would have won the 9th Congressional District 55% to 44% over Democratic rival, then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The previous iteration of the district Kaptur held was a shade less politically challenging, with Trump beating Harris 53% to 46% in 2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Left: Madison Sheahan. Right: Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) (Jose Luis Magana\/AP; Carlos Osorio\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Yet, beating Kaptur, 79, will be a challenge no matter who emerges as the Republican nominee. Kaptur has demonstrated considerable political endurance, stretching back to her initial House election during the midterm elections of the late President Ronald Reagan&rsquo;s first term. Since then, Kaptur has been a leading critic of international trade deals and their effects on working-class constituents. It&rsquo;s a message that in many ways presaged and later converged with Trump&rsquo;s populist and protectionist rhetoric.<\/p>\n<p>Which is where the ICE situation comes in as the 2026 election cycle gets going. More than a year into Trump&rsquo;s second term, the agency, spearheading efforts to deport illegal immigrants from the United States, is at the center of Democratic &ldquo;Resistance&rdquo; efforts.<\/p>\n<p>It&rsquo;s also drawing some criticism from Republican lawmakers over the fatal shootings early in 2026 of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Both were American citizens killed by federal agents during &ldquo;Operation Metro Surge,&rdquo; a large-scale ICE and Customs and Border Protection enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Their deaths have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/jemele-hill-demands-an-end-to-weaponized-patriotic-symbols-at-sporting-events\/\" title=\"Jemele Hill Demands An End To \u2018Weaponized Patriotic Symbols... At Sporting Events\">sparked national controversy<\/a>, massive local protests, and significant political friction between the Trump administration and Minnesota officials.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Sheahan launched her House campaign as the ICE confrontations with protesters in Minnesota reached a peak. And she&rsquo;s leaning into defending her former agency, headed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In less than one year at ICE, I&rsquo;ve stopped more illegal immigration than Marcy Kaptur has in her 43 years in Washington,&rdquo; Sheahan&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sheahanforohio.com\/\">proclaims in her launch video<\/a>. &ldquo;Ohio neighborhoods are safer thanks to President Trump and ICE.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Sheahan is an Ohio native who previously worked as a political aide for then-Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and in the administration of Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA). To face Kaptur in November, Sheahan will have to win a crowded May 5 Republican primary.<\/p>\n<p>The GOP field in the 9th Congressional District includes Derek Merrin, a former state representative who narrowly lost to Kaptur in 2024. Also running for the Republican nomination are state Rep. Josh Williams, 41, and Air Force veteran Alea Nadeem, who is in her early 40s.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-a-longtime-incumbent-s-toughest-opponent-yet\"><strong>A longtime incumbent&rsquo;s toughest opponent yet?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Kaptur is running for reelection despite Ohio&rsquo;s most recent round of redistricting, which made her conservative-leaning constituency even tougher to hold. Kaptur, though, responded to the unwelcome development by dispelling any talk she&rsquo;d retire. The congresswoman said in a statement last fall, &ldquo;I remain committed to serving Northwest Ohio and will seek re-election with a renewed focus on accountability and protecting the voice of the people.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Northeast Ohio voters have stuck with Kaptur for more than 40 years &mdash; a ballot loyalty that will be sorely tested in an increasingly red state. Even though polls show Democrats are strong heading into the November elections, with a decent chance of winning the House majority.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Democrat Marcy Kaptur, first elected in 1982, is the longest-serving woman in congressional history,&rdquo; notes the 2026 <em>Almanac of American Politics<\/em>. &ldquo;Kaptur is a plainspoken Democrat who touts her connection to blue-collar constituents, even as her party has become more suburban and white-collar; this demographic shift has made her reelections tougher than ever, exacerbated by unfriendly redistricting.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In 2024, with Trump romping to victory statewide in Ohio over Harris 55% to 44%, Kaptur barely won reelection. She edged Merrin, finishing eight-and-a-half years as a state representative, by 2,382 votes, good for a 48.3 to 47.6% victory.<\/p>\n<p>Merrin, 39, will likely cite that near-loss as an argument that he&rsquo;s the best Republican nominee to finish the job against Kaptur. While Sheahan is tying herself to the Trump administration&rsquo;s ICE deportation agenda.<\/p>\n<p>Sheahan&rsquo;s pro-ICE statements come as a sizable majority of Americans want significant changes to the agency. An <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mprnews.org\/story\/2026\/02\/11\/poll-nbc-americans-support-ice-overhaul-amid-federal-funding-fight\">NBC News Decision Desk Poll<\/a> powered by SurveyMonkey, released on Feb. 11, found nearly 3 in 4 U.S. adults supported some changes to ICE, with 29% saying it should be abolished outright.<\/p>\n<p>And a KARE 11\/ <em>Minnesota Star Tribune<\/em> poll, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kare11.com\/article\/news\/local\/ice-in-minnesota\/poll-most-minnesotans-oppose-federal-immigration-tactics-support-agency-overhaul\/89-106d1cea-e235-4c4e-abc3-a5894bd09978\">also released Feb. 11<\/a>, showed a majority of Minnesotans wanted federal agents investigated in the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti.<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4446354\/teachers-union-leaders-spent-thousands-at-swanky-resorts\/\"><strong>TEACHERS UNION LEADERS SPENT THOUSANDS AT SWANKY RESORTS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Still, while the surveys by NBC News and the Minnesota local station and newspaper show skepticism toward ICE tactics, the data also found locals were divided over how much to reform the agency. And how to handle immigration policy broadly.<\/p>\n<p>In a Republican-leaning Ohio House district, support for ICE is likely to be even stronger. It all makes for a lot of political moving parts. And Ohio&rsquo;s 9th Congressional District is likely one of the nation&rsquo;s most competitive House battlegrounds over the next eight months-plus.<\/p>\n<p><em>David Mark (@DavidMarkDC) is the managing editor of the<\/em>&nbsp;Washington Examiner&nbsp;<em>magazine.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Paraphrase:<br \/>\nMadison Sheahan, 28, announced on January 15 that she is resigning from her role as deputy director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pursue the Republican nomination in Ohio\u2019s newly redrawn 9th District, aiming to challenge longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur. The 9th District, which includes Toledo and Ohio\u2019s northwest, is shaping up to be one of the nation\u2019s most competitive House contests in 2026, set against a backdrop of redistricting spurred by a voter-approved ballot measure. In 2024, Trump would have carried the 9th 55% to 44% over Kamala Harris, while the old district under Kaptur\u2019s tenure was slightly less favorable to Republicans, with Trump winning 53% to 46% in that cycle. Kaptur, at 79, has long been a durable incumbent and a vocal critic of certain international trade deals, a stance that aligns with some of Trump\u2019s populist protectionist themes. The ICE controversy becomes part of the national political conversation as Democrats mount resistance to the administration\u2019s deportation tactics, highlighted by criticism following deadly operations in Minnesota that sparked protests and political friction. Sheahan framed her candidacy as a defense of ICE, emphasizing that she could claim significant achievements in a short time at the agency. Her prior experience includes work for Kristi Noem and Jeff Landry, and she will face a crowded May Republican primary featuring Derek Merrin, Josh Williams, and Alea Nadeem. Kaptur vows to run for reelection despite redistricting that has made the district more challenging for Democrats, arguing she will stay focused on accountability and representing Northwest Ohio. Nationally, polls show mixed views on ICE reforms, with broad support for at least some changes and a notable minority advocating abolition, while local debates in Minnesota reflect differing opinions about federal enforcement. The race underscores the multifaceted political dynamics around ICE and immigration policy in a competitive, red-leaning district.<\/p>\n<p>55-character limit line:<br \/>\nFormer ICE deputy director seeks Ohio GOP nomination<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2695,"featured_media":2571750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WB.Congress.022526.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6203,8364,9134,4333],"class_list":["post-2571749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-gop","tag-ice","tag-nomination","tag-ohio"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/WB.Congress.022526.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2695"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2571749"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571749\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2571753,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2571749\/revisions\/2571753"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2571750"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2571749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2571749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2571749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}