The former Republican state senator from Miamisburg announced his 2026 bid for secretary of state Thursday, saying his family’s immigration from British-occupied India gave him a deep appreciation for the right to vote.

Ohio secretary of state candidate Niraj Antani served in the Ohio Senate for three years and six years in the Ohio House.

Former state Sen. Niraj Antani, a self-described “pro-Trump conservative warrior” who proposed unsuccessful bills banning ballot drop boxes and requiring citizenship checks for voters, has launched a bid to be Ohio's next elections chief.

Today, former State Senator Niraj Antani announced a campaign for Secretary of State of Ohio. Sen. Antani served for over a decade as a State Senator and State Representative in the Ohio General Assembly, representing the greater Dayton area. The Republican primary in Ohio will take place in the spring of 2026.

Former Dayton-area lawmaker Niraj Antani announced his candidacy Thursday to run for Ohio Secretary of State in 2026. Antani, 33, just finished a 10-year run as a state lawmaker representing portions of Montgomery County.

MIAMISBURG, OH — Former State Senator Niraj Antani has launched his campaign for Ohio Secretary of State, a position currently held by Frank LaRose, who is term-limited. Antani, a Republican, represented the Dayton area in the Ohio General Assembly for over a decade, first as a State Representative and later as a State Senator.