This year, the longtime Ohio congressman has a primary opponent who is calling out the naked truth.
Former Trumbull County Commissioner Niki Frenchko told the Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network, that she heard Georgia County Republican Rep. Dave Joyce call her “Naked Niki” after she posted about visiting a nude beach in France while on vacation. Frenchko then doubled down.
“Dave Joyce and his team are calling me ‘Naked Niki’ and some are even accusing me of having an OnlyFans account, so I thought I’d better expose it all,” she said in a Facebook video. “So, I’m launching my own OF page, so please check back soon and subscribe.”
Frenchko created a campaign website at OnlyFrenchko.com. The heading is in a blue font similar to OnlyFans, a subscription-based website popular among creators of explicit content. The campaign’s website features a censored photo of Frenchko on the beach and a scroll that reads, “Warning: Washington Insiders may find this content offensive.”
“Voters who visit OnlyFrenchko.com will not find scandal; they will find the unfiltered truth about Frenchko’s America First policies,” a campaign press release reads.
The Enquirer contacted Joyce’s campaign staff to ask about their comments about Frenchko.
“Congressman Joyce is honored to be endorsed by President (Donald) Trump because he votes with the president 97% of the time and fights every day to advance America First policies,” campaign staff said in a statement.
Who is Niki Frenchko?
Frenchko described himself to the Enquirer as a “Thomas Massey-style Republican.” She said she supports making all files on Epstein public and campaigning only on small donations rather than foreign government or special interest group funds.
“I’m not afraid. I’m going to work for the Freedom Caucus because it’s a group that holds Congress accountable to the American people,” she said.
Frenchko is an Army Reserve veteran and former real estate agent with a master’s degree in public administration. She ran for Trumbull County Commissioner on a platform of increasing transparency and reducing nepotism in county government, ousting the longtime Democrat in 2020.
Sheriff’s officials arrested her after she criticized the county sheriff about jail conditions at a 2022 commissioners meeting. Mr. Frenchko filed a federal lawsuit against the sheriff, his department, the county, deputies and other commissioners.
A federal judge ruled in her favor in 2024, finding that the arrest violated Frenchko’s First Amendment rights.
“Here in America, we do not arrest political opponents,” Judge Philip Calabrese wrote in his order.
How to vote
Ohio’s 14th District includes portions of Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage, Trumbull, and Mahoning counties.
The primary election is May 5th. The deadline to register to vote is April 6th. To find your district or register to vote, visit voteOhio.gov.
Local political reporter Erin Glynn can be reached at eglynn@enquirer.com, @ee_glynn on X and @eringlynn on Bluesky..
