123rd Ohio General Assembly explained

The One Hundred Twenty-third Ohio General Assembly was the legislative body of the state of Ohio in 1999 and 2000. In this General Assembly, both the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives were controlled by the Republican Party. In the Senate, there were 21 Republicans and 12 Democrats. In the House, there were 59 Republicans and 40 Democrats.

New Members of the Senate

District	Previous Senator	Reason for change	New Senator	Date
1st		M. Ben Gaeth (R)	Gaeth retired. Wachtmann elected with 61% of the vote.		Lynn Wachtmann (R)	January 3, 1999
9th		Janet C. Howard (R)	Howard defeated by Mark Mallory 59% to 41% in 1998 general election.		Mark Mallory (D)	January 3, 1999
13th		Alan Zaleski (D)	Zaleski retired. Armbruster elected with 47% of the vote.		Jeff Armbruster (R)	January 3, 1999
21st		Jeff Johnson (D)	Johnson retired. Prentiss elected with 86% of the vote.		C.J. Prentiss (D)	January 3, 1999
23rd		Patrick Sweeney (D)	Sweeney retired. Brady elected unopposed.		Dan Brady (D)	January 3, 1999
25th		Judy Sheerer (D)	Sheerer retired. Fingerhut elected with 80% of the vote.		Eric Fingerhut (D)	January 3, 1999
24th		Gary C. Suhadolnik (R)	Suhadolnik resigns to become a member of Governor Bob Taft's cabinet. Spada appointed.		Bob Spada (R)	February 2, 1999
19th		Richard Schafrath (R)	Schafrath resigns to become a lobbyist. Harris appointed.		Bill Harris (R)	August 15, 2000

Vacancies

• January 5, 1999: Representative Tom Johnson (R-96th) resigns to become a member of the Cabinet of Governor Bob Taft.
• March 1, 1999: Representative Ross Boggs (D-5th) resigns.^[1]
• May 30, 1999: Representative Otto Beatty Jr. resigns.
• June 30, 1999: Representative Joy Padgett (R-95th) resigns.
• August 9, 1999: Representative Ed Core (R-87th) died.
• August 10, 1999: Representative Darrell Opfer (D-53rd) resigns to become Economic Development Director of Ottawa County.
• September 14, 1999: Representative Sally Perz (D-52nd) resigns to take a position with the University of Toledo.
• November 4, 1999: Representative E. J. Thomas (D-27th) resigns to take a job in the private sector.
• November 4, 1999: Representative Joe Haines (R-74th) resigns to work in the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
• December 31, 1999: Representative Johnnie Maier (D-56th) resigns to become Clerk of the Massillon Municipal Court.
• August 15, 2000: Representative Bill Harris (R-93rd) resigns to take a seat in the Ohio Senate.
• September 12, 2000: Representative David Robinson (R-27th) resigns.

Appointments

• January 5, 1999: Michael G. Verich is appointed to House District 66.
• January 5, 1999: Nancy P. Hollister is appointed to House District 96.
• March 1, 1999: George Distel is appointed to House District 5.^[1]
• May 31, 1999; Joyce Beatty is appointed.
• June 30, 1999: Jim Aslanides is appointed to House District 95.
• September 8, 1999: Tony Core is appointed to House District 87.
• September 8, 1999: Chris Redfern is appointed to House District 53.
• October 20, 1999: Jim Mettler appointed to House District 52.
• December 8, 1999: David J. Robinson appointed to House District 27.
• December 8, 1999: Chris Widener appointed to House District 74.
• January 11, 2000: Mike Stevens appointed to House District 56.
• September 12, 2000: Thom Collier is appointed to House District 93.
• September 13, 2000: Jim Hughes is appointed to House District 27.

Senate

Leadership

Majority leadership

• President of the Senate: Richard Finan
• President pro tempore of the Senate: Robert Cupp
• Assistant pro tempore: Bruce E. Johnson
• Whip: Merle G. Kearns

Minority leadership

• Leader: Ben Espy
• Assistant Leader: Leigh Herington
• Whip: Rhine McLin
• Assistant Whip: Dan Brady

Members of the 123rd Ohio Senate

District	Senator	Party	First elected
1	Lynn Wachtmann		Republican	1998
2	Bob Latta		Republican	1996
3	Bruce E. Johnson		Republican	1994 (Appt.)
4	Scott Nein		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
5	Rhine McLin		Democratic	1994
6	Chuck Horn		Republican	1984
7	Richard Finan		Republican	1978 (Appt.)
8	Lou Blessing		Republican	1996
9	Mark Mallory		Democratic	1998
10	Merle G. Kearns		Republican	1991 (Appt.)
11	Linda J. Furney		Democratic	1986
12	Robert R. Cupp		Republican	1984
13	Jeff Armbruster		Republican	1998
14	Doug White		Republican	1996 (Appt.)
15	Ben Espy		Democratic	1992 (Appt.)
16	Eugene J. Watts		Republican	1984
17	Michael Shoemaker		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
18	Robert A. Gardner		Republican	1996
19	Bill Harris		Republican	2000 (Appt.)
20	James E. Carnes		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
21	C.J. Prentiss		Democratic	1998
22	Grace L. Drake		Republican	1984 (Appt.)
23	Dan Brady		Democratic	1998
24	Robert Spada		Republican	1999 (Appt.)
25	Eric Fingerhut		Democratic	1998
26	Larry Mumper		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
27	Roy Ray		Republican	1986
28	Leigh Herington		Democratic	1995 (Appt.)
29	Scott Oelslager		Republican	1985 (Appt.)
30	Gregory L. DiDonato		Democratic	1996
31	Jay Hottinger		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
32	Anthony Latell Jr.		Democratic	1992
33	Bob Hagan		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)

House of Representatives

Leadership

Majority leadership

• Speaker of the House: Jo Ann Davidson
• President pro tempore of the Senate: Randy Gardner
• Floor Leader: Pat Tiberi
• Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Jim Buchy
• Majority Whip: Bill Harris
• Assistant Majority Whip: Larry Householder

Minority leadership

• Leader: Jack Ford
• Assistant Leader: Barbara C. Pringle
• Whip: Dan Metelsky
• Assistant Whip: Charlie Wilson

Members of the 123rd Ohio House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party	First Elected
1	John R. Willamowski		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
2	George E. Terwilleger		Republican	1992
3	Sean D. Logan		Democratic	1990 (Appt.)
4	Randy Gardner		Republican	1985 (Appt.)
5	George Distel		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)
6	Jon D. Myers		Republican	1990
7	Ron Amstutz		Republican	1980
8	Shirley Smith		Democratic	1998
9	Barbara Boyd		Democratic	1992
10	Troy Lee James		Democratic	1967
11	Peter Lawson Jones		Democratic	1996
12	John E. Barnes Jr.		Democratic	1998
13	Barbara C. Pringle		Democratic	1982 (Appt.)
14	Ed Jerse		Democratic	1995 (Appt.)
15	Jim Trakas		Republican	1998
16	Sally Conway Kilbane		Republican	1998
17	Bryan Flannery		Democratic	1998
18	Erin Sullivan		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
19	Dale Miller		Democratic	1996
20	Dean DePiero		Democratic
21	Joyce Beatty		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)
22	Ray Miller		Democratic	1998
23	Amy Salerno		Republican	1994
24	Jo Ann Davidson		Republican	1980
25	David Goodman		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
26	Patrick Tiberi		Republican
27	Jim Hughes		Republican	2000 (Appt.)
28	Geoffrey C. Smith		Republican	1998
29	Larry Wolpert		Republican
30	Samuel T. Britton		Democratic	1994
31	Catherine L. Barrett		Democratic	1998
32	Dale N. Van Vyven		Republican	1978 (Appt.)
33	Jerome F. Luebbers		Democratic	1978
34	Cheryl Winkler		Republican	1990 (Appt.)
35	Patricia Clancy		Republican	1996
36	Bob Schuler		Republican	1992
37	Jacquelyn K. O'Brien		Republican	1986
38	Dixie Allen		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
39	Tom Roberts		Democratic	1986 (Appt.)
40	Jeff Jacobson		Republican
41	Don Mottley		Republican	1992
42	Bob Corbin		Republican	1976
43	Bob Netzley		Republican	1967
44	Vernon Sykes		Democratic	1983 (Appt.)
45	Bryan C. Williams		Republican	1996
46	Kevin Coughlin		Republican	1996
47	Betty Sutton		Democratic
48	Twyla Roman		Republican	1994
49	Jack Ford		Democratic	1994
50	Jeanine Perry		Democratic	1998
51	Lynn Olman		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
52	Jim Mettler		Republican	1999 (Appt.)	-	53	Chris Redfern		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)
54	William J. Healy		Democratic	1974
55	Kirk Schuring		Republican	1994
56	Mike Stevens		Democratic	2000 (Appt.)
57	Ron Hood		Republican	1994
58	Gary Cates		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
59	Greg Jolivette		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
60	Gene Krebs		Republican
61	Dan Metelsky		Democratic	1996 (Appt.)
62	John Bender		Democratic	1992
63	Bill Taylor		Republican	1994
64	Sylvester Patton		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
65	Ron Gerberry		Democratic	1974
66	Michael G. Verich		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)
67	June Lucas		Democratic	1986
68	Diane Grendell		Republican	1992
69	Ron Young		Republican
70	Jamie Callender		Republican	1996
71		Sam Bateman		Republican
72	Rose Vesper		Republican
73	Ron Rhine		Democratic
74	Chris Widener		Republican	1999 (Appt.)	-	75	Ann H. Womer Benjamin		Republican	1994
76	Steve Austria		Republican	1998
77	David R. Evans		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
78	Larry Householder		Republican	1996
79	William J. Hartnett		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
80	Joan Lawrence		Republican	1982
81	Chuck Calvert		Republican	1998
82	Steve Buehrer		Republican	1998
83	Jim Hoops		Republican	1998
84	Jim Buchy		Republican
85	Jim Jordan		Republican	1994
86	Chuck Brading		Republican
87	Tony Core		Republican	1999 (Appt.)
88	Dennis Stapleton		Republican	1996 (Appt.)
89	Rex Damschroder		Republican	1994
90	Randy Weston		Democratic	1990
91	Joseph P. Sulzer		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
92	William L. Ogg		Democratic	1994
93	Thom Collier		Republican	2000 (Appt.)
94	John Carey		Republican	1994
95	Jim Aslanides		Republican	1999 (Appt.)
96	Nancy P. Hollister		Republican	1999 (Appt.)
97	Kerry R. Metzger		Republican	1994
98	Jerry W. Krupinski		Democratic	1986
99	Charlie Wilson		Democratic	1996

Appt.- Member was appointed to current House Seat

See also

• Ohio House of Representatives membership, 126th General Assembly
• Ohio House of Representatives membership, 125th General Assembly

References

• Ohio House of Representatives official website
• Project Vote Smart – State House of Ohio
• Map of Ohio House Districts
  • Ohio District Maps 2002–2012
• Ohio House of Representatives: November 3, 1998 Ohio Secretary of State

Notes and References

1. News: Ohio Senate backs school bond issue. February 18, 1999. The Blade. January 25, 2024.