# Eric Conroy **Retired CIA case officer** and [[U.S. Air Force]] Academy graduate running in the 2026 Republican primary for the redistricted [[OH-01-2026]] — now projected Trump +2.5 after Ohio's October 2025 mid-decade redraw (previously Biden +6.5). Trump issued a **"Complete and Total Endorsement" on 2026-04-15**; Speaker [[Mike Johnson]], Majority Leader Scalise, Whip Emmer, and Conference Chair McClain all endorsed the day before (**2026-04-14**). **Polymarket prices Conroy at ~90% to win** the R primary. Reporting indicates he "outraised every primary opponent combined." Conroy's profile was **designed for the redraw**: Air Force Academy + CIA case officer + Elder High West Side Cincinnati = national-security biography tuned to the new Clinton County + exurban Hamilton territory. ## 2026 cycle - **Primary date**: **2026-05-05** — **12 days from 2026-04-23**; the **first competitive Tier 1 House primary of the cycle** - **Other R primary candidates**: Holly Adams (former businesswoman, 30-year sales, BGSU), Steven Erbeck (dentist, ~6% on Polymarket), Rosemary Oglesby-Henry (nonprofit CEO) - **General-election opponent**: [[Greg Landsman]] (D incumbent), facing his own D primary challenge from [[Damon Lynch IV]] on the same date - **Rating**: Cook Toss Up (April 7, 2026 — was effectively Likely D / Safe D pre-redistricting). Cook PVI 2025 (new district) D+3 composite, but 2024 presidential performance on new lines projects Trump +2.5. - **Money**: "Outraised every primary opponent combined" per reporting; specific COH TBD from FEC extraction ## Background - U.S. Air Force Academy graduate - Active-duty U.S. Air Force veteran - **CIA case officer** with overseas national-security background (service dates / stations — NEEDS VERIFICATION) - Elder High School grad (West Side Cincinnati native) - First federal-office run ## Ideological positioning - National-security-credentialed MAGA Republican - The Trump + full House leadership endorsement cascade on **2026-04-14 / 15** (single 48-hour window) mirrors the pattern seen on the same date with Eric Conroy, [[Matt Maasdam]] (on Dem side in MI-07 via VoteVets), Cunningham (NM-02), and Halo composer [[Marty O'Donnell]] (NV-03) — an unusual mid-April endorsement cluster - Fits the 2026 GOP "CIA/military officer running for redrawn R-leaning seat" archetype ## Related - [[OH-01-2026]] — 2026 race file - [[Greg Landsman]] — Democratic incumbent - [[Damon Lynch IV]] — Landsman's D primary challenger - [[Donald Trump]] — endorser (2026-04-15) - [[Mike Johnson]] — endorser (2026-04-14) ## Sources - [Ballotpedia — Eric Conroy](https://ballotpedia.org/Eric_Conroy) - [Ballotpedia — OH-01 2026](https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio's_1st_Congressional_District_election,_2026)