Ohio Republican Party
Encyclopedia
The Ohio Republican Party is the Ohio
state affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio
on February 13, 1854. Kevin DeWine
has been chairman of the Ohio GOP since 2009. DeWine set a ten point plan to help restore the Republican Party prominence in the state of Ohio.
era, Ohio politics was dominated by the Republican Party, with Ohio Republicans playing key roles in the national party.
staffed many important national offices. Chase coined the phrase "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men" Starting in the 1880s, Ohio's Marcus A. Hanna
was a significant power in the back rooms of the national Republican party. In the 1890s, Hanna led the conservative wing of the party against Theodore Roosevelt's progressive movement.
In the 60 years from 1860 to 1920, Ohioans headed the Republican presidential ticket nine times, losing only twice. In 1912 Democrat candidate Woodrow Wilson
won with 40.96% of the vote, the Republican ticket was split, with Teddy Roosevelt leaving to start the Bull-Moose Party. In the 1916 election, Wilson won again with 49.24% of the vote.
During the next three presidential elections the Republican candidate won Ohio, until 1932 when won the state.
era in the 1930s benefited the Ohio Democratic Party
and party politics in Ohio became very competitive, with Republicans and Democrats trading victories at all levels. However, on a national level, Ohio Democrats did not play a key role, while Ohio Republicans still cut national figures. The prime example of such a figure was Robert Taft
, known as "Mr. Republican," the leader of the conservative wing of the Republican party during a time when liberals controlled both major parties.
From the 1930s to the 1970s, Republicans still won the larger share of elective offices in Ohio. However, another national liberalizing trend in the 1960s gave the Ohio Democrats another boost. In addition, a series of rulings by the United States Supreme Court required state legislatures to end the practice of giving disproportionate electoral power to rural areas. The equalization of legislative districts shifted the advantage to the Ohio Democrats, who were strong in Ohio's many large urban centers. By the mid-1980s, Ohio government at all levels was dominated by Democrats.
However, just as Democrats were reaching their peak, the Ohio Republican Party was staging a comeback, and by 1990, the Republicans had won a majority on the Ohio Apportionment Board
, which draws district lines for federal and state legislative seats. The 1992 adoption of term limits by referendum further strengthened the party's hand and 1992 marked the last victory by a Democrat (John Glenn
) in a statewide race until 2006.
By 2004, Republicans hold all six statewide executive offices (governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, and treasurer), a two-thirds majority in the state senate and house
, a 5-2 majority on the Supreme Court, both seats in the U.S. Senate, and 12 of Ohio's 18 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, in 2006, Democrats began to retake some statewide offices. These include all of the executive offices except State Auditor (including the governorship going to Ted Strickland
over Republican challenger J. Kenneth Blackwell) and one of the seats in the U.S. Senate (Sherrod Brown
defeating incumbent Mike DeWine
). Ohio Republicans still hold a 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, one seat in the U.S. Senate and a majority in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly
. In addition, between the election of Robert Cupp in 2007 and the death of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer and the appointment of Democrat Eric Brown
in 2010, Republicans controlled all seven seats on the Ohio Supreme Court.
In 2010, Republicans regained all of the statewide elected executive offices, including the governorship with the election of John Kasich
, and regained the majority in the state House of Representatives and retaining the state Senate. Republicans also retained their seat in the U.S. Senate with the election of Rob Portman
and retained a majority of the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition, 8th District Representative John Boehner
was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives
, making him third in line of succession (and the highest ranking Republican) to the Presidency of the United States
.
Joe Hallett wrote in the Columbus Dispatch (January 13, 2002):
Although term limits were pushed by conservative Republican activists in the 1980s, they forced the retirement of Republican Speaker Jo Ann Davidson
(R-Columbus) from the House of Representatives in 2001 as well as the leader of the conservative wing of the party, Deputy Speaker William G. Batchelder
(R-Medina).
In 2001 Republicans sought U.S. House of Representatives seats held by Democrats Sherrod Brown
and Ted Strickland
. The state legislature considered redrawing their districts. Critics allege the motivation was to aid in Republican victories. When Democrat Brown threatened to run for governor in 2002 if he lost his seat through redistricting, the legislature scrapped redistricting plans. Republican Governor Taft won re-election. Taft was challenged by Cuyahoga County
commissioner Tim Hagan
. Both Brown and Strickland held onto their congressional seats.
The Republican Party domination of the general election has caused the real competition to be among the Republican primaries (as was once the case for the Democrats' primaries in the solid South
). Special interest groups, such as the Ohio Taxpayers Association, have attempted to influence Republican primary voters through campaigning and electioneering.
The state of the party had prompted some to conclude that the party organization's ability to help the Bush
re-election campaign in 2004 might be hampered, but after a contentious election, the Bush campaign came out ahead.
Ohio Senate
Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
state affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
on February 13, 1854. Kevin DeWine
Kevin DeWine
Kevin DeWine is Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, serving since January 2009. Previously, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives....
has been chairman of the Ohio GOP since 2009. DeWine set a ten point plan to help restore the Republican Party prominence in the state of Ohio.
History
From the Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
era, Ohio politics was dominated by the Republican Party, with Ohio Republicans playing key roles in the national party.
Early years
Early Ohio Republicans such as Salmon P. ChaseSalmon P. Chase
Salmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
staffed many important national offices. Chase coined the phrase "Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men" Starting in the 1880s, Ohio's Marcus A. Hanna
Mark Hanna
Marcus Alonzo "Mark" Hanna was a United States Senator from Ohio and the friend and political manager of President William McKinley...
was a significant power in the back rooms of the national Republican party. In the 1890s, Hanna led the conservative wing of the party against Theodore Roosevelt's progressive movement.
In the 60 years from 1860 to 1920, Ohioans headed the Republican presidential ticket nine times, losing only twice. In 1912 Democrat candidate Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
won with 40.96% of the vote, the Republican ticket was split, with Teddy Roosevelt leaving to start the Bull-Moose Party. In the 1916 election, Wilson won again with 49.24% of the vote.
During the next three presidential elections the Republican candidate won Ohio, until 1932 when won the state.
Post New Deal
The national political upheaval that ushered in the New DealNew Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
era in the 1930s benefited the Ohio Democratic Party
Ohio Democratic Party
The Ohio Democratic Party is the Ohio affiliate to the United States Democratic Party. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Chris Redfern is the Ohio Democratic Party chairman. Redfern was elected to office in December 2005...
and party politics in Ohio became very competitive, with Republicans and Democrats trading victories at all levels. However, on a national level, Ohio Democrats did not play a key role, while Ohio Republicans still cut national figures. The prime example of such a figure was Robert Taft
Robert Taft
Robert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
, known as "Mr. Republican," the leader of the conservative wing of the Republican party during a time when liberals controlled both major parties.
From the 1930s to the 1970s, Republicans still won the larger share of elective offices in Ohio. However, another national liberalizing trend in the 1960s gave the Ohio Democrats another boost. In addition, a series of rulings by the United States Supreme Court required state legislatures to end the practice of giving disproportionate electoral power to rural areas. The equalization of legislative districts shifted the advantage to the Ohio Democrats, who were strong in Ohio's many large urban centers. By the mid-1980s, Ohio government at all levels was dominated by Democrats.
However, just as Democrats were reaching their peak, the Ohio Republican Party was staging a comeback, and by 1990, the Republicans had won a majority on the Ohio Apportionment Board
Ohio Apportionment Board
The Ohio Apportionment Board is an administrative body which draws the single-member legislative districts for the Ohio General Assembly every ten years following the census...
, which draws district lines for federal and state legislative seats. The 1992 adoption of term limits by referendum further strengthened the party's hand and 1992 marked the last victory by a Democrat (John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
) in a statewide race until 2006.
By 2004, Republicans hold all six statewide executive offices (governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, auditor, and treasurer), a two-thirds majority in the state senate and house
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
, a 5-2 majority on the Supreme Court, both seats in the U.S. Senate, and 12 of Ohio's 18 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. However, in 2006, Democrats began to retake some statewide offices. These include all of the executive offices except State Auditor (including the governorship going to Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
over Republican challenger J. Kenneth Blackwell) and one of the seats in the U.S. Senate (Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell Brown is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
defeating incumbent Mike DeWine
Mike DeWine
Richard Michael "Mike" DeWine is the Attorney General for the state of Ohio. He has held numerous offices on the state and federal level, including Ohio State Senator, four terms as a U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, and was a two-term U.S. Senator, serving from 1995 to 2007.- Biography :Born...
). Ohio Republicans still hold a 10 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, one seat in the U.S. Senate and a majority in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
. In addition, between the election of Robert Cupp in 2007 and the death of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer and the appointment of Democrat Eric Brown
Eric Brown (judge)
Eric Brown is the former Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Ted Strickland on May 3, 2010, following the death of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer on April 2, 2010.Brown was the first Jewish Chief Justice in Ohio history...
in 2010, Republicans controlled all seven seats on the Ohio Supreme Court.
In 2010, Republicans regained all of the statewide elected executive offices, including the governorship with the election of John Kasich
John Kasich
John Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
, and regained the majority in the state House of Representatives and retaining the state Senate. Republicans also retained their seat in the U.S. Senate with the election of Rob Portman
Rob Portman
Robert Jones "Rob" Portman is the junior United States Senator from Ohio. He is a member of the Republican Party. He succeeded retiring Senator George Voinovich....
and retained a majority of the seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. In addition, 8th District Representative John Boehner
John Boehner
John Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
, making him third in line of succession (and the highest ranking Republican) to the Presidency of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Current state of the party
Redistricting after the 2000 census combined with Ohio's term limits laws had Republican officeholders at the federal and state levels struggling with each other to draw federal congressional districts to create safe seats, with the interests of incumbent U.S. representatives clashing with the interests of state legislators facing term limits looking to Congress for their next jobs. About 43 percent of the voters voted for Democrats in 2000.Joe Hallett wrote in the Columbus Dispatch (January 13, 2002):
- "Redistricting should be a happy process for Republicans.... But the task has hardly been gleeful. Contrarily, it has turned into an embarrassment for Republicans.... Eight-year term limits, more than the state budget, are to blame. These days, state lawmakers constantly are scouting their next jobs.... [V]isions of Congress dance in their heads. They want districts ready-made for their ascensions. Meanwhile, congressional incumbents constantly angle for districts they can't possibly lose."
Although term limits were pushed by conservative Republican activists in the 1980s, they forced the retirement of Republican Speaker Jo Ann Davidson
Jo Ann Davidson
Jo Ann Davidson is the chair of the Ohio Casino Control Commission and was Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1995–2000....
(R-Columbus) from the House of Representatives in 2001 as well as the leader of the conservative wing of the party, Deputy Speaker William G. Batchelder
William G. Batchelder
William G. Batchelder, III is an American lawyer, judge, and politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. He is a Republican.He is the husband of Judge Alice Batchelder, currently a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.-Early life and education:Batchelder was born...
(R-Medina).
In 2001 Republicans sought U.S. House of Representatives seats held by Democrats Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell Brown is the senior United States Senator from Ohio and a member of the Democratic Party. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Ohio's 13th congressional district from 1993 to 2007...
and Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
. The state legislature considered redrawing their districts. Critics allege the motivation was to aid in Republican victories. When Democrat Brown threatened to run for governor in 2002 if he lost his seat through redistricting, the legislature scrapped redistricting plans. Republican Governor Taft won re-election. Taft was challenged by Cuyahoga County
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Cuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
commissioner Tim Hagan
Tim Hagan
Timothy Hagan , a Democrat, is an American politician in Ohio.-Early life:Hagan was born and grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, as one of fourteen siblings . Hagan's father, Bob, was a Trumbull County Commissioner and, later, a State Representative. After graduating from Ursuline High School...
. Both Brown and Strickland held onto their congressional seats.
The Republican Party domination of the general election has caused the real competition to be among the Republican primaries (as was once the case for the Democrats' primaries in the solid South
Solid South
Solid South is the electoral support of the Southern United States for the Democratic Party candidates for nearly a century from 1877, the end of Reconstruction, to 1964, during the middle of the Civil Rights era....
). Special interest groups, such as the Ohio Taxpayers Association, have attempted to influence Republican primary voters through campaigning and electioneering.
The state of the party had prompted some to conclude that the party organization's ability to help the Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
re-election campaign in 2004 might be hampered, but after a contentious election, the Bush campaign came out ahead.
Current elected officials
The Ohio Republican Party controls all six statewide constitutional offices, holds a supermajority in the Ohio Senate and a majority in the Ohio House of Representatives. Republicans also have a 6-1 majority on the Ohio Supreme Court. The party holds one of the state's U.S. Senate seats and 13 of the state's 18 U.S. House seats.U.S. House of Representatives
- Steve ChabotSteve ChabotSteven Joseph "Steve" Chabot is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He previously represented the district from 1995 to 2009.-Early life, education and career:...
, 1st DistrictOhio's 1st congressional districtOhio's 1st congressional district is currently represented by Republican Steve Chabot. This district includes parts of Cincinnati, and borders both Kentucky and Indiana.-Cities:Cincinnati Cheviot Deer Park Forest Park Harrison Mount Healthy... - Jean SchmidtJean SchmidtJeannette Marie Hoffman Schmidt, is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2005. She is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from eastern Cincinnati to Portsmouth....
, 2nd DistrictOhio's 2nd congressional districtOhio's 2nd congressional district is a district in southern Ohio. It is currently represented by Jean Schmidt.The district stretches along the Ohio River from the Hamilton County suburbs of Cincinnati east to Scioto County... - Mike TurnerMike TurnerMichael R. Turner is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party.The district covers most of the city of Dayton and includes most of Montgomery County, much of Warren County, and is home to all of Highland and Clinton Counties.-Early life, education...
, 3rd DistrictOhio's 3rd congressional districtOhio's 3rd congressional district includes most of the city of Dayton and its surrounding suburbs and exurbs. It is currently represented by Representative Mike Turner.-List of representatives:-Selected election results:... - Jim JordanJim Jordan (Ohio politician)James Daniel "Jim" Jordan is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party...
, 4th DistrictOhio's 4th congressional districtOhio's 4th congressional district is currently represented by Republican Jim Jordan.The district includes the counties of Allen, Auglaize, Champaign, Hancock, Hardin, Logan, Marion, Morrow, Richland, Shelby, and part of Wyandot. The largest cities in the district include Findlay, Lima, Mansfield,... - Bob LattaBob LattaRobert Edward 'Bob' Latta is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2007. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district, the second-largest in the state, includes most of Toledo's suburbs, including Fremont and Bowling Green....
, 5th DistrictOhio's 5th congressional districtOhio's 5th congressional district is in northwestern and north central Ohio and borders Michigan and Indiana. The district is currently represented by Republican Bob Latta. Currently, all of Crawford, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Huron, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, and Wood... - Bill JohnsonBill Johnson (Ohio politician)William Leslie "Bill" Johnson is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education, and career:...
, 6th DistrictOhio's 6th congressional districtOhio's 6th congressional district is currently represented by Representative Bill Johnson . This district runs along the southeast side of the state, bordering Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania... - Steve AustriaSteve AustriaStephen Clement "Steve" Austria is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2009. He is a member of the Republican Party. The district stretches from Springfield to the southern suburbs of Columbus....
, 7th DistrictOhio's 7th congressional districtOhio's 7th congressional district is currently represented by Steve Austria. This district includes the cities of Springfield, Circleville, and Lancaster as well as some of the southern suburbs of Columbus and nearby counties.-List of representatives:... - John BoehnerJohn BoehnerJohn Andrew Boehner is the 61st and current Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party, he is the U.S. Representative from , serving since 1991...
, 8th DistrictOhio's 8th congressional districtOhio's 8th congressional district sits on the west side of Ohio, bordering Indiana. The cities of Hamilton, Fairfield, Middletown, Huber Heights, Eaton, Greenville, Piqua, Troy, and parts of Dayton, Riverside, and Wright Patterson Air Force Base are part of the district...
, Speaker of the House of RepresentativesSpeaker of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
during the 112th Congress. - Pat TiberiPat TiberiPatrick Joseph "Pat" Tiberi is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party...
, 12th DistrictOhio's 12th congressional districtOhio's 12th congressional district is currently represented by Republican Representative Patrick J. Tiberi. This district includes the heavily African-American part of Ohio's capital city, Columbus, Ohio along with its northern suburbs, including Westerville, Ohio.Historically it has been a safe... - Steve LaTouretteSteve LaTouretteSteven C. "Steve" LaTourette is the U.S. House of Representative for , serving since 1995. He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life, education and career:...
, 14th DistrictOhio's 14th congressional districtThe 14th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Representative Steven C. LaTourette. This district sits in the farthest northeast corner of the state, bordering Lake Erie and Pennsylvania.... - Steve StiversSteve StiversSteve Stivers is the U.S. Representative for He is a member of the Republican Party. Stivers previously served in the Ohio Senate, representing the 16th district...
, 15th DistrictOhio's 15th congressional districtThe 15th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Republican Steve Stivers.Union County and Madison County are entirely within the district's boundaries as is approximately half of Franklin County... - Jim RenacciJim RenacciJames B. "Jim" Renacci is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He is an Ohio entrepreneur and former mayor of Wadsworth, Ohio.-Early life and education:...
, 16th DistrictOhio's 16th congressional districtThe 16th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Representative Jim Renacci . The district is based in Stark County and the Canton area and also includes Wayne County and most of Medina and Ashland counties.On Nov... - Bob GibbsBob GibbsBob Gibbs is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party.-Early life and education:Gibbs was born on June 14, 1954 in Peru, Indiana. His family moved to Cleveland in the 1960s, and Gibbs graduated from Bay Village Senior High School...
, 18th DistrictOhio's 18th congressional districtThe 18th congressional district of Ohio is currently represented by Republican Bob Gibbs. The district ranges around the eastern part of Ohio, taking in a collection of small cities and rural areas. The district voted for the majority party in the House of Representatives in every election since...
Statewide offices
- Governor:
- John KasichJohn KasichJohn Richard Kasich is the 69th and current Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing from 1983 to 2001...
- John Kasich
- Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of OhioThe position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve as acting governor if a vacancy in the governorship...
:- Mary TaylorMary Taylor (Ohio politician)Mary Taylor is the 65th and current Lieutenant Governor of Ohio.-Early life and business career:Taylor was born in 1961. She attended the Springfield Township school system. She attended the University of Akron, obtaining a Bachelor degree in Accounting and Master's degree in Taxation...
- Mary Taylor
- Secretary of StateOhio Secretary of StateThe Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
:- Jon A. Husted
- Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
:- Mike DeWineMike DeWineRichard Michael "Mike" DeWine is the Attorney General for the state of Ohio. He has held numerous offices on the state and federal level, including Ohio State Senator, four terms as a U.S. Congressman, Ohio Lt. Governor, and was a two-term U.S. Senator, serving from 1995 to 2007.- Biography :Born...
- Mike DeWine
- State AuditorOhio State AuditorThe Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
:- David YostDave YostDave Yost is the auditor for the state of Ohio, winning the election in November 2010. He was the prosecuting attorney for Delaware County. He also served as the county's auditor from 1999 to 2003.-Early career:...
- David Yost
- State TreasurerOhio State Treasurer-List of Ohio State Treasurers:...
:- Josh MandelJosh Mandel (politician)Josh Mandel is the current Ohio State Treasurer. Mandel previously served as a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives. He has set up a U.S...
- Josh Mandel
Ohio SenateOhio SenateThe Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
- President of the Senate:
- Tom NiehausTom NiehausTom Niehaus is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, representing the 14th District since 2005. Previously he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2000 until 2004. Niehaus succeeded Ohio Senate President Doug White, who was prevented by Ohio's term limits law from running for...
- Tom Niehaus
- President pro tempore of the Senate:
- Keith FaberKeith FaberKeith Lloyd Faber is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate who has represented the 12th District since his appointment in January 2007. He also serves as President pro tempore, the second highest post in the Senate and as Chairman of the Committee on Government Oversight and Reform...
- Keith Faber
- Floor Leader: Jimmy StewartJimmy Stewart (Ohio politician)Jimmy Stewart is a Republican politician who served in the Ohio General Assembly. He served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2003 to 2008, and in the Ohio Senate from 2009 to 2011....
- Whip:
- Shannon JonesShannon JonesShannon Jones is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 7th District since 2009. She serves as majority whip. She served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.-Early life and career:...
- Shannon Jones
Ohio House of RepresentativesOhio House of RepresentativesThe Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
- Speaker of the House:
- William G. BatchelderWilliam G. BatchelderWilliam G. Batchelder, III is an American lawyer, judge, and politician from the U.S. state of Ohio. He is a Republican.He is the husband of Judge Alice Batchelder, currently a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.-Early life and education:Batchelder was born...
- William G. Batchelder
- Speaker pro tempore:
- Lou BlessingLou BlessingLouis W. Blessing Jr. of Cincinnati, Ohio, is an American politician of the Republican party. He is Speaker pro tempore of the Ohio House of Representatives.-Career:...
- Lou Blessing
- Majority Floor Leader:
- Matt HuffmanMatt HuffmanMatt Huffman is a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 4th District since 2007. Prior to his service in the House, he served as president of Lima City Council for seven years and as an attorney with the Lima law firm Huffman, Kelley, Becker & Brock...
- Matt Huffman
- Assistant Majority Floor Leader:
- Barbara Sears
- Majority Whip:
- John AdamsJohn Adams (Ohio politician)John Adams has been a member of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 78th District since 2007. He serves as the majority whip.-Career:...
- John Adams
- Assistant Majority Whip:
- Cheryl GrossmanCheryl GrossmanCheryl Grossman is a Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 23rd District since 2009. She serves as assistant majority whip in the 129th General Assembly-Career:...
- Cheryl Grossman
Supreme Court
- Chief Justice
- Maureen O'ConnorMaureen O'ConnorMaureen O'Connor is an American jurist and the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Prior to this, O'Connor served as an Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio under Gov. Bob Taft...
- Maureen O'Connor
- Associate Justices
- Paul E. PfeiferPaul PfeiferPaul E. Pfeifer is an American politician of the Ohio Republican party. He served in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly and is currently an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio....
, - Terrence O'DonnellTerrence O'DonnellTerrence O'Donnell is an American Justice of the Supreme Court of the U.S. state of Ohio.-Education:He graduated in 1964 from St. Edward High School, an all-boys catholic high school on Cleveland's west side. He did his undergraduate studies at Kent State University, graduating with a degree in...
- Judith Ann LanzingerJudith Ann LanzingerJudith Lanzinger is an American jurist. She is currently a member of the Ohio Supreme Court.She has long been involved in the legal profession...
- Evelyn Lundberg StrattonEvelyn Lundberg StrattonEvelyn Lundberg Stratton is an American jurist. She is currently a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court.- Background and education :Evelyn Lundberg Stratton was born to missionary parents in Bangkok, Thailand on February 25, 1953...
- Robert R. CuppRobert R. CuppRobert R. "Bob" Cupp is a Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was elected November 7, 2006 to a six-year term and was sworn in on January 2, 2007. His term will expire January 1, 2013....
- Paul E. Pfeifer
Party Leadership
- Party Chairman
- Kevin DeWineKevin DeWineKevin DeWine is Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, serving since January 2009. Previously, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives....
- Kevin DeWine
- Vice Chairman
- Kay Ayres
- National Committeemen
- Bob Bennett
- National Committeewoman
- Jo Ann DavidsonJo Ann DavidsonJo Ann Davidson is the chair of the Ohio Casino Control Commission and was Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1995–2000....
- Jo Ann Davidson
Prominent Ohio Republicans in the past
- Salmon P. ChaseSalmon P. ChaseSalmon Portland Chase was an American politician and jurist who served as U.S. Senator from Ohio and the 23rd Governor of Ohio; as U.S. Treasury Secretary under President Abraham Lincoln; and as the sixth Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.Chase was one of the most prominent members...
: U.S. senatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Governor of Ohio, United States Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
, Chief Justice of the United StatesChief Justice of the United StatesThe Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States... - Charles William Foster, Jr.: U.S. representative, Governor of Ohio, United States Secretary of the Treasury
- Rutherford B. HayesRutherford B. HayesRutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
: U.S. representativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Governor of Ohio, President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... - William McKinleyWilliam McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
: U.S. representativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, Governor of Ohio, President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... - William Dennison: Governor of Ohio, United States Postmaster GeneralUnited States Postmaster GeneralThe United States Postmaster General is the Chief Executive Officer of the United States Postal Service. The office, in one form or another, is older than both the United States Constitution and the United States Declaration of Independence...
- David TodDavid TodDavid Tod was a politician and industrialist from the U.S. state of Ohio. As the 25th Governor of Ohio, Tod gained recognition for his forceful and energetic leadership during the American Civil War....
: Governor of Ohio, Ambassador to Brazil - Jacob Dolson CoxJacob Dolson CoxJacob Dolson Cox, was a lawyer, a Union Army general during the American Civil War, and later a Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 28th Governor of Ohio and as United States Secretary of the Interior....
: Governor of Ohio, United States Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the InteriorThe United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries... - John W. BrickerJohn W. BrickerJohn William Bricker was a United States Senator and the 54th Governor of Ohio. A member of the Republican Party, he was the Republican nominee for Vice President in 1944.-Early life:...
: Ohio Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
, Governor of Ohio, U.S. senatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Republican nominee for Vice President of the United StatesVice President of the United StatesThe Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term... - Edward F. NoyesEdward F. NoyesEdward Follansbee Noyes was a Republican politician from Ohio. Noyes served as the 30th Governor of Ohio.-Biography:...
: Governor of Ohio, Ambassador to France - Thomas L. YoungThomas L. YoungThomas Lowry Young was a Republican politician from Ohio. Young served as the 33rd Governor of Ohio.-Biography:...
: Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative - Joseph B. ForakerJoseph B. ForakerJoseph Benson Foraker was a Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 37th Governor of Ohio from 1886 to 1890.-Early life:...
: Governor of Ohio, U.S. Senator - George K. NashGeorge K. Nashthumb|right|300pxGeorge Kilborn Nash was a Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 41st Governor of Ohio.-Biography:...
: Ohio Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
, Governor of Ohio - Frank B. WillisFrank B. WillisFrank Bartlett Willis was a Republican politician from Ohio. He served as the 47th Governor of Ohio.-Biography:...
: Governor of Ohio, U.S. Representative, U.S. Senator - C. William O'NeillC. William O'NeillC. William O'Neill was a Republican politician from Ohio. He was born in Marietta, Ohio. He was the 59th Governor of Ohio. He graduated from both Marietta College and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law...
: Ohio Attorney GeneralOhio Attorney GeneralThe Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
, Governor of Ohio, Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court - James A. RhodesJim RhodesJames Allen Rhodes was an American Republican politician from Ohio, and one of only five US state governors to serve four four-year terms in office. As governor in 1970, he decided to send National Guard troops onto the Kent State University campus, resulting in the shooting of students on May 4...
: mayor of Columbus, OhioColumbus, OhioColumbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, Ohio State AuditorOhio State AuditorThe Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
, Governor of Ohio, candidate for Republican nomination for President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
(1964, 1968), candidate for Republican nomination to the United States SenateUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... - Warren G. HardingWarren G. HardingWarren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
: U.S. senatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Lieutenant Governor of OhioLieutenant Governor of OhioThe position of lieutenant governor of Ohio was established in 1852. The lieutenant governor becomes governor if the governor resigns, dies in office or is removed by impeachment. Before 1852, the president of the Ohio State Senate would serve as acting governor if a vacancy in the governorship...
, President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces.... - Benjamin F. WadeBenjamin WadeBenjamin Franklin "Bluff" Wade was a U.S. lawyer and United States Senator. In the Senate, he was associated with the Radical Republicans of that time.-Early life:...
: U.S. senator, a Radical RepublicanRadical RepublicanThe Radical Republicans were a loose faction of American politicians within the Republican Party from about 1854 until the end of Reconstruction in 1877...
, President Pro Tempore of the United States SenatePresident pro tempore of the United States SenateThe President pro tempore is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. The United States Constitution states that the Vice President of the United States is the President of the Senate and the highest-ranking official of the Senate despite not being a member of the body... - James A. Garfield: U.S. representativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, President of the United States - James Rudolph GarfieldJames Rudolph GarfieldJames Rudolph Garfield was an American politician, lawyer and son of President James Abram Garfield and First Lady Lucretia Garfield. He was Secretary of the Interior during Theodore Roosevelt's administration....
: United States Secretary of the InteriorUnited States Secretary of the InteriorThe United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries... - Ulysses S. GrantUlysses S. GrantUlysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
: commander of Union forces in the Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
; President of the United States - Benjamin HarrisonBenjamin HarrisonBenjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States . Harrison, a grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was born in North Bend, Ohio, and moved to Indianapolis, Indiana at age 21, eventually becoming a prominent politician there...
: U.S. Senator, President of the United States - William H. Taft IWilliam Howard TaftWilliam Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
: United States Secretary of WarUnited States Secretary of WarThe Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
, President of the United States, Chief Justice of the United StatesChief Justice of the United StatesThe Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the United States federal court system and the chief judge of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Chief Justice is one of nine Supreme Court justices; the other eight are the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States... - William B. SaxbeWilliam B. SaxbeWilliam Bart "Bill" Saxbe was an American politician affiliated with the Republican Party, who served as a U.S. Senator from Ohio, as U.S. Attorney General under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald R. Ford, and as United States Ambassador to India.At the time of his death, Saxbe was the...
: U.S. senator, U.S. attorney general, Ambassador to India - John ShermanJohn Sherman (politician)John Sherman, nicknamed "The Ohio Icicle" , was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Ohio during the Civil War and into the late nineteenth century. He served as both Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of State and was the principal author of the Sherman Antitrust Act...
: U.S. representativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, United States Secretary of the TreasuryUnited States Secretary of the TreasuryThe Secretary of the Treasury of the United States is the head of the United States Department of the Treasury, which is concerned with financial and monetary matters, and, until 2003, also with some issues of national security and defense. This position in the Federal Government of the United...
, U.S. senatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, United States Secretary of StateUnited States Secretary of StateThe United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
, author of the Sherman Antitrust ActSherman Antitrust ActThe Sherman Antitrust Act requires the United States federal government to investigate and pursue trusts, companies, and organizations suspected of violating the Act. It was the first Federal statute to limit cartels and monopolies, and today still forms the basis for most antitrust litigation by... - Robert A. Taft IRobert TaftRobert Alphonso Taft , of the Taft political family of Cincinnati, was a Republican United States Senator and a prominent conservative statesman...
: Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, candidate for Republican nomination for President of the United StatesPresident of the United StatesThe President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
(1940, 1948, 1952) - Harold H. Burton: Ohio state representative, mayor of Cleveland, U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United StatesAssociate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States... - Simeon D. FessSimeon D. FessSimeon Davison Fess was a Republican politician and educator from Ohio. He served in the United States House of Representatives and U.S. Senate.-Early life:...
: U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, U.S. SenatorUnited States SenateThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each... - Nicholas LongworthNicholas LongworthNicholas Longworth IV was a prominent American politician in the Republican Party during the first few decades of the 20th century...
: Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives - Potter StewartPotter StewartPotter Stewart was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. During his tenure, he made, among other areas, major contributions to criminal justice reform, civil rights, access to the courts, and Fourth Amendment jurisprudence.-Education:Stewart was born in Jackson, Michigan,...
: Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court - Kingsley A. TaftKingsley A. TaftKingsley Arter Taft was an American politician and distant relative of Ohio's more famous Taft family. He served as chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and also served briefly as a United States Senator. Kingsley's father, Frederick Lovett Taft, II was also a noted figure in the Ohio legal...
: U.S. Senator, Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court - Bob TaftBob TaftRobert Alphonso "Bob" Taft II is an Ohio Republican Party politician. He was elected to two terms of office as the 67th Governor of the U.S. state of Ohio between 1999-2007. After leaving office, Taft started working for the University of Dayton beginning August 15, 2007.-Personal background:Taft...
: Governor of Ohio - George VoinovichGeorge VoinovichGeorge Victor Voinovich is a former United States Senator from the state of Ohio, and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, he served as the 65th Governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998, and as the 54th mayor of Cleveland from 1980 to 1989.-Personal life:Born in Cleveland, Ohio, his father was...
: U.S. Senator, Governor of Ohio, Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, Mayor of Cleveland