MEDINA, Ohio — As early voting continues across Ohio, Republican efforts to promote the sweeping tax cut legislation signed by President Donald Trump in 2025 are facing skepticism from many voters, even in historically conservative areas. The tax package, once touted as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and recently rebranded as the “Working Family Tax Cuts Act,” has become the centerpiece of campaign advertising in contested races across the state. However, voters report mixed reactions amid broader economic concerns.

Since the legislation’s enactment, which included extended individual income tax cuts, new business breaks, and the elimination of taxes on tips and overtime pay through 2028, Republicans have invested heavily in advertising to highlight these benefits. In Ohio alone, approximately $19 million has been spent on ads promoting the tax cuts by October 12, the most of any state with competitive congressional contests. Nationwide, $91 million has been spent on similar ads.

Senator Jon Husted, appointed to fill the seat previously held by Vice President JD Vance, has been a prominent advocate of the tax legislation as he campaigns for a full term. Speaking at a Republican event in Mahoning County, Husted cited favorable responses from workers such as delivery drivers and servers who have benefited from the new tax rules. “They’ve said this is great. It’s helped them pay off student loans, pay off cars,” Husted said, emphasizing the law’s impact on middle-class earners.

Supporters in traditionally Republican areas like Mahoning County, which has shifted from Democratic to Republican in recent years, credit the tax cuts with energizing the base. Tom McCabe, chair of the Mahoning County Republican Party, acknowledged that inflation and rising gas prices remain concerns but said many voters focus on the improvements in their personal finances compared to four years ago under the previous administration.

Despite this, numerous voters across Medina and Mahoning counties voiced doubts about the tax law’s effectiveness and the Republican Party’s broader economic policies. Kristin Shepard, a longtime Medina resident who typically voted Republican, expressed frustration over ongoing trade disputes and a war that have contributed to rising prices. She has since shifted her support to Democratic candidates.

Ariel Bly, a 33-year-old swing voter from Medina, noted that while the elimination of taxes on tips has aided some individuals she knows, concerns about the overall economy influence her likely vote for Democrat Sherrod Brown. Brown, a former senator who lost his seat in 2024 but remains a key contender, is running against Husted in a race many polls show is tightly contested. Recent surveys suggest Brown holds a slight lead, with voters expressing significant disapproval of Trump’s presidency and pessimism about their personal finances.

Economic anxieties are compounded by other factors, including tariff impacts on farmers and small businesses. Eric Larson, a Montville Township resident and former Republican, voiced his support for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot, citing frustration with Republican policies.

With the Senate race potentially determining which party controls the chamber, both sides are intensifying their campaigns. Alongside the Senate contest, four Ohio U.S. House races are also deemed competitive. As Ohioans head to the polls on November 3, the effectiveness of the Republicans’ tax cut messaging and voters' views on broader economic issues will likely prove pivotal.