Michael Rulli | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2024 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's6th district | |
| Assumed office June 25, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Bill Johnson |
| Member of theOhio Senate from the33rd district | |
| In office January 7, 2019 – June 12, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Joe Schiavoni |
| Succeeded by | Alessandro Cutrona |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Michael Anthony Rulli (1969-03-11)March 11, 1969 (age 56) Poland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Kelly Rulli |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Emerson College (BA) |
| Website | House website Campaign website |
Michael Anthony Rulli[1] (born March 11, 1969) is an American politician, businessman, and musician serving as the U.S. representative forOhio's 6th congressional district since 2024. A member of theRepublican Party, he previously served as anOhio State Senator for the33rd district from 2019 to 2024.[2][3][4]
Rulli is the director of operations at Rulli Bros. Markets, a family-owned chain of grocery stores based in theMahoning Valley region.[5]
Born on March 11, 1969,[6] Rulli is a graduate ofPoland Seminary High School and theUnited States Naval Sea Cadet Corps. He went on to earn bachelor's degrees in communications and speech fromEmerson College in 1991. While studying in Boston, Rulli also interned forJoseph P. Kennedy II and played in the grunge band Red Bliss.[7] After graduation, he joined his family's business, Rulli Bros. Markets. Initially a Democrat, he later joined the Republican Party.[8]
Rulli was first elected to theOhio Senate in2018, defeating incumbentOhio House of Representatives member and formerU.S. representativeJohn Boccieri. Prior to that contest, Rulli's only other political experience was as a School Board member for theLeetonia Exempted Village School District inColumbiana County, Ohio.[9] Rulli was re-elected in2022, defeating former Ohio House and Ohio Senate memberBob Hagan.
In 2019, Rulli was one of 12 Senators to vote against HB 6,[10] the legislation at the center of one of the nation's largest corruption scandals.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rulli championed legislation to prevent municipalities from banning the use of plastic grocery bags. The House version of Rulli's legislation, HB 242 was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine in October 2020.[11][12]
In January 2024, Rulli voted to override Governor DeWine's veto of HB 68, a bill banning gender-affirming care for minors and prohibiting transgender athletes from participating in girls' and women's sports.[13]
Rulli became the Republican nominee on March 19, 2024 for the2024 special election forOhio's 6th congressional district,[14] and defeated Democrat Michael Kripchak on June 11. On June 12 Rulli announced his resignation from theOhio Senate.[15] Rulli was sworn in to the118th U.S. Congress on June 25, 2024.[16]
Then-state representativeAl Cutrona was sworn in to Rulli's former Senate seat on June 26.[15]
On November 5, 2024, Rulli won re-election with about 66% of the vote, running again against Michael Kripchak.[17]
Rulli currently serves as the Co-Chair of the bicameral and bipartisanItalian American Congressional Delegation (IACD).
In July 2025, Rulli introduced a resolution to designate July 13 as “Faith and Defiance Day,” intended to honor President Trump’s response to the2024 assassination attempt, which Rulli described as a display of “unshakable courage,” and to condemn political violence.[18]
In January 2025, Rulli hired Mike Peppel as his communications director. Peppel had previously served as Rulli's senior legislative aide from January 2019 to March 2023. Prior to working for Rulli, Peppel worked for former Republican CongressmanBill Johnson, serving as political director for Johnson's campaign and as his office's community outreach representative.[27]
In 2023, Peppel founded the Ohio Clean Water Fund (OCWF), which was the subject of a seven-count civil lawsuit filed by Ohio Attorney GeneralDave Yost. The lawsuit alleged that OCWF was a "sham charity" that falsely claimed to be raising money for those impacted by theEast Palestine train derailment, misrepresenting its use of funds.[27] While Peppel disputed the allegations, he ultimately settled the lawsuit. The settlement resolved all claims against Peppel, avoiding protracted litigation.[28]
Rulli, in a prepared statement, affirmed his support for Peppel, citing his experience and dedication to the region.[29]
In 2019, Rulli co-sponsoredOhio Senate Bill 23, widely referred to as the "Heartbeat Bill." This legislation bans most abortions once a fetal heartbeat can be detected, typically around six weeks into pregnancy—often before many people are aware they are pregnant. The bill provides no exceptions for rape or incest. GovernorMike DeWine signed it into law on April 11, 2019.[30]
Rulli’s support for the bill aligned with a broader movement among Ohio Republicans to impose stricter abortion regulations. SB 23 became one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country and faced swift legal challenges.[31]
A temporary court order blocked the law’s enforcement in September 2022, restoring abortion access in the state up to 22 weeks while the legislation underwent further judicial review.[32]
Rulli resides inSalem, Ohio, with his wife Kelly and their two children.[33]
On November 28, 2022, Rulli fired a handgun at two teenagers he believed weretrespassing on his property. Later, his wife, Kelly Rulli, fired shots at one of the teenagers and his family members who had returned to retrieve hunting equipment. While Rulli claims he firedwarning shots into the ground from a distance of approximately 15 yards, the teenager maintains he was much farther away on his uncle's land and that the shots were fired directly at him. A special prosecutor's investigation, which found no physical evidence (such as shell casings or bullets), concluded that the Rullis' actions were reasonable under the circumstances and declined to press charges against either party, though it did determine the teenagers were trespassing. The incident remains disputed, with conflicting accounts of the events.[34]
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromOhio's 6th congressional district 2024–present | Incumbent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 367th | Succeeded by |
