Republicans hold narrow leads around Columbus, Democrats lose NE Ohio legislative races

Long lines seen at Franklin County early voting center in Columbus

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Ohio Republicans overcame the state’s largest political bribery scandal to expand their majorities in the state House and potentially the Senate. 

The unofficial results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office showed the GOP gaining two seats in the House and ahead by a razor-thin margin in a suburban Columbus Senate seat. 

Election results: Find Columbus area, Ohio election and national results

“Ohioans from every area of Ohio – urban, rural and suburban – have given the Ohio House Republicans a resounding vote of confidence, and as of now, an increased majority in the Ohio House of Representatives,” House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, told supporters gathered at a Republican party in Columbus Tuesday night. “We are witnessing a historic realignment of hardworking Ohioans throughout Ohio, with four new members representing historically Democratic northeastern, and eastern Ohio winning a seat tonight.”

© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch Workers sort through bags of voting results dropped off by precinct managers at the Franklin County Board of Elections headquarters in Columbus on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020.

That’s no small feat considering one member of his caucus is facing up to 20 years in prison on federal bribery and racketeering charges. Former House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, appeared headed to election victory despite being indicted in July and removed as speaker for his alleged role in spending $60 million securing a billion-dollar bailout for two nuclear power plants. 

The Republican wins and losses also represented an increasing divide between the urban and rural parts of Ohio.

Democrat Joe Biden outperformed Hillary Clinton in Cuyahoga, Franklin and Hamilton counties, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the support for President Donald Trump in the rest of the state. 

Similarly, House Democrats held onto several suburban seats they flipped in 2018, including Reps. Allison Russo in Upper Arlington, Phil Robinson in Solon and Casey Weinstein in Hudson. And they picked up Republican Rep. Dave Greenspan’s seat in suburban Cuyahoga County. 

But they lost three House seats to Republican candidates in the more rural parts around northeast Ohio. 

“You see the Trump factor in that area of the state,” Dave Burke, R-Marysville, said. 

Trump won Ohio 54% to 45% in the unofficial vote totals, and he also carried both Trumball and Mahoning counties – potentially solidifying this one blue part of the Buckeye State as red. Those county flips were enough to cost Democratic Sen. Sean O’Brien, D-Bazetta, his seat.  

“That district just moved too Republican for Democrats to hold it … ,” said Senate President Larry Obhof, R-Medina. “We may end up with the same number of seats, but who is in the caucus has changed. … I think what we’re ending up with is a rural, working-class, Rust Belt party now.” 

Sen. Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard, was just 41 votes ahead of Democrat Crystal Lett for a seat representing the suburbs around Columbus on Wednesday morning.

The race appeared headed for an automatic recount, but Obhof said he thinks Kunze will prevail. If she wins, Senate Republicans will expand their majority to 25, while Democrats will hold eight seats.  

“It happens because the members of our caucus focus on the issues that matter most to the people of Ohio,” Obhof said. “We’ve worked hard because good policy equals good politics.”

@annstaver

astaver@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Republicans hold narrow leads around Columbus, Democrats lose NE Ohio legislative races