126th Ohio General Assembly explained

The One Hundred Twenty-sixth Ohio General Assembly was the legislative body of the state of Ohio in 2005 and 2006. 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 22 Republicans and 11 Democrats. In the House, there were 60 Republicans and 39 Democrats.

Major events

Vacancies

• December 1, 2005: Senator Mark Mallory (D-9th) resigns to become Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio.
• August 25, 2005: Representative Merle G. Kearns (R-72nd) resigns to take a position in the cabinet of Governor Bob Taft.
• February 28, 2006: Senator Dan Brady (D-23rd) resigns.
• February 28, 2006: Representative Dale Miller (D-14th) resigns to take a seat in the Ohio Senate.
• May 25, 2006: Representative Kathleen Walcher Reed (R-58th) resigns.
• July 27, 2006: Representative Dixie Allen (D-39th) resigns to become Montgomery County, Ohio Commissioner
• December 31, 2006: Senator Jim Jordan (R-12th) resigns to take a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
• December 31, 2006: Senator Charlie Wilson (D-30th) resigns to take a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
• December 31, 2006: Senator Marc Dann (D-32nd) resigns to become Ohio Attorney General.

Appointments

• October 5, 2005: Ross McGregor appointed as Representative of the 72nd District, succeeding Merle G. Kearns.
• December 6, 2005: Eric Kearney appointed as Senator of the 9th District, succeeding Mark Mallory.
• March 1, 2006: Dale Miller appointed as Senator of the 23rd District, succeeding Dan Brady.
• May 25, 2006: Mike Foley appointed as Representative to the 14th District, succeeding Dale Miller.
• May 25, 2006: Dan White appointed as Representative to the 58th District, succeeding Kathleen Walcher Reed.
• November 14, 2006: Clayton Luckie appointed as Representative of the 39th District, succeeding Dixie Allen.

Leadership changes

• August 25, 2005: Resignation of Merle G. Kearns as Majority Floor Leader corresponding with resignation.
• January 15, 2006: Resignation of Chris Redfern as Minority Leader; Joyce Beatty subsequently made Minority Leader, and Todd Book Assistant Minority Leader.
• March 31, 2006: Lance Mason resigns as Assistant Minority Whip; Fred Strahorn is selected to replace him.

Senate

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Republican	Democratic		Vacant
nowrap style="font-size:80%"	End of previous legislature		22	11	33	0
nowrap style="font-size:80%"	Begin		22	11	33	0
Latest voting share		66.6%	34.4%

Leadership

Majority leadership

• President of the Senate: Bill Harris
• President pro tempore of the Senate: Jeff Jacobson
• Floor Leader: Randy Gardner
• Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Robert Spada
• Whip: Steve Austria
• Assistant Majority Whip: Jay Hottinger

Minority leadership

• Leader: C.J. Prentiss
• Assistant Leader: Mark Mallory
• Whip: Teresa Fedor
• Assistant Whip: Bob Hagan

Members of the 126th Ohio Senate

District	Senator	Party	First elected
1	Lynn Wachtmann		Republican	1998
2	Randy Gardner		Republican	2000
3	David Goodman		Republican	2001 (Appt.)
4	Gary Cates		Republican	2004
5	Tom Roberts		Democratic	2002 (Appt.)
6	Jeff Jacobson		Republican	2000
7	Robert Schuler		Republican	2002
8	Patricia Clancy		Republican	2004
9	Eric Kearney		Democratic	2005 (Appt.)
10	Steve Austria		Republican	2000
11	Teresa Fedor		Democratic	2002
12	Jim Jordan		Republican	2000
13	Jeff Armbruster		Republican	1998
14	Tom Niehaus		Republican	2004
15	Ray Miller		Democratic	2002
16	Steve Stivers		Republican	2003 (Appt.)
17	John Carey		Republican	2002
18	Timothy Grendell		Republican	2004
19	Bill Harris		Republican	2000 (Appt.)
20	Joy Padgett		Republican	2004 (Appt.)
21	C.J. Prentiss		Democratic	1998
22	Ron Amstutz		Republican	2000
23	Dale Miller		Democratic	2006 (Appt.)
24	Robert Spada		Republican	1999 (Appt.)
25	Eric Fingerhut		Democratic	1998
26	Larry Mumper		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
27	Kevin Coughlin		Republican	2001 (Appt.)
28	Kimberly Zurz		Democratic	2003 (Appt.)
29	Kirk Schuring		Republican	2002
30	Charlie Wilson		Democratic	2004
31	Jay Hottinger		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
32	Marc Dann		Democratic	2003 (Appt.)
33	Bob Hagan		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)

House of Representatives

Composition

Affiliation	Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)		Total
	Democratic	Republican		Vacant
nowrap style="font-size:80%"	End of previous legislature	39		60	99	0
nowrap style="font-size:80%"	Begin	39		60	99	0
Latest voting share	39.9%		60.1%

Leadership

Majority leadership

• Speaker of the House: Jon Husted
• Speaker Pro Tempore of the House: Chuck Blasdel
• Floor Leader: Merle G. Kearns (January 6, 2005 – August 25, 2005)
• Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Larry L. Flowers
• Majority Whip: Kevin DeWine
• Assistant Majority Whip: Jim Carmichael

Minority leadership

• Leader: Chris Redfern (January 6, 2005 – January 15, 2006), Joyce Beatty (January 15, 2006, December 31, 2006)
• Assistant Leader: Joyce Beatty (January 6, 2005 – January 15, 2006), Todd Book (January 15, 2006-)
• Whip: Steve Driehaus
• Assistant Whip: Lance Mason

Members of the 126th Ohio House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party	First Elected
1	Chuck Blasdel		Republican	2000
2	Jon Peterson		Republican	2000
3	Jim Carmichael		Republican	2000
4	John R. Willamowski		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
5	Tim Schaffer		Republican	2000
6	Bob Latta		Republican	2000
7	Kenny Yuko		Democratic	2004
8	Lance Mason		Democratic	2002 (Appt.)
9	Claudette Woodard		Democratic	2000
10	Shirley Smith		Democratic	1998
11	Annie L. Key		Democratic	2000
12	Michael DeBose		Democratic	2002 (Appt.)
13	Michael J. Skindell		Democratic	2002
14	Michael Foley		Democratic	2006 (Appt.)
15	Timothy J. DeGeeter		Democratic	2003 (Appt.)
16	Sally Conway Kilbane		Republican	1998
17	Jim Trakas		Republican	1998
18	Tom Patton		Republican	2002
19	Larry L. Flowers		Republican	2000
20	Jim McGregor		Republican	2001 (Appt.)
21	Linda Reidelbach		Republican	2000
22	Jim Hughes		Republican	2000
23	Larry Wolpert		Republican	2000
24	Geoffrey C. Smith		Republican	1998
25	Dan Stewart		Democratic	2002
26	Mike Mitchell		Democratic	2004
27	Joyce Beatty		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)
28	Jim Raussen		Republican	2002
29	Lou Blessing		Republican	2004
30	Bill Seitz		Republican	2000
31	Steve Driehaus		Democratic	2000
32	Catherine L. Barrett		Democratic	1998
33	Tyrone Yates		Democratic	2002
34	Tom Brinkman Jr.		Republican	2000
35	Michelle G. Schneider		Republican	2000
36	Arlene Setzer		Republican	2000
37	Jon Husted		Republican	2000
38	John White		Republican	2000
39	Clayton Luckie		Democratic	2006 (Appt.)
40	Fred Strahorn		Democratic	2000
41	Brian Williams		Democratic	2004
42	John Widowfield		Republican	2001 (Appt.)
43	Mary Taylor		Republican	2002
44	Barbara Sykes		Democratic	2000
45	Robert J. Otterman		Democratic	2000
46	Mark Wagoner		Republican	2004
47	Peter Ujvagi		Democratic	2002
48	Edna Brown		Democratic	2001 (Appt.)
49	Jeanine Perry		Democratic	1998
50	John Hagan		Republican	2000
51	Scott Oelslager		Republican	2002
52	William J. Healy II		Democratic	2004	-	53	Shawn Webster		Republican	2000
54	Courtney Combs		Republican	2004 (Appt.)
55	Bill Coley		Republican	2004
56	Joseph Koziura		Democratic	2001 (Appt.)
57	Earl Martin		Republican	2003 (Appt.)
58	Dan White		Republican	2006 (Appt.)
59	Kenneth Carano		Democratic	2000
60	Sylvester Patton		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
61	John Boccieri		Democratic	2000
62	Lorraine Fende		Democratic	2004
63	Timothy J. Cassell		Democratic	2004
64	Randy Law		Republican	2004
65	Sandra Harwood		Democratic	2002
66	Joe Uecker		Republican	2004
67	Tom Raga		Republican	2000
68	Kathleen Chandler		Democratic	2002
69	Chuck Calvert		Republican	1998
70	Kevin DeWine		Republican	2000
71	David R. Evans		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
72	Ross McGregor		Republican	2005 (Appt.)
73	William J. Hartnett		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
74	Steve Buehrer		Republican	1998	-	75	Jim Hoops		Republican	1998
76	Mike Gilb		Republican	2000
77	Keith Faber		Republican	2000
78	Derrick Seaver		Republican	2000
79	Diana Fessler		Republican	2000
80	Chris Redfern		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)
81	Jeff Wagner		Republican	2002
82	Steve Reinhard		Republican	2000
83	Tony Core		Republican	2000
84	Chris Widener		Republican	2002
85	John M. Schlichter		Republican	2002
86	David T. Daniels		Republican	2002
87	Clyde Evans		Republican	2002
88	Danny Bubp		Republican	2004
89	Todd Book		Democratic	2002
90	Thom Collier		Republican	2000 (Appt.)
91	Ron Hood		Republican	2004
92	Jimmy Stewart		Republican	2002
93	Jennifer Garrison		Democratic	2004
94	Jim Aslanides		Republican	2000
95	John Domenick		Democratic	2002
96	Allan Sayre		Democratic	2004
97	Bob Gibbs		Republican	2002
98	Matt Dolan		Republican	2004
99	George Distel		Democratic	1999 (Appt.)

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 2, 2004 Ohio Secretary of State
• Ohio Senate November 2, 2004 Ohio Secretary of State