Scott Oelslager Explained

Scott Oelslager
Office:Speaker pro tempore of the Ohio House of Representatives
Term Start:January 3, 2023
Predecessor:Tim Ginter
State House1:Ohio
District1:48th
Term Start1:January 3, 2019
Predecessor1:Kirk Schuring
Term Start2:January 3, 2003
Term End2:December 31, 2010
Predecessor2:Kirk Schuring
Successor2:Kirk Schuring
State Senate3:Ohio
District3:29th
Term Start3:January 3, 2011
Term End3:December 31, 2018
Predecessor3:Kirk Schuring
Successor3:Kirk Schuring
Term Start4:February 5, 1985
Term End4:December 31, 2002
Predecessor4:Tom Walsh
Successor4:Kirk Schuring
Birth Date:15 October 1953
Birth Place:Warren, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Party:Republican
Spouse:Elsie
Education:University of Mount Union (BA)
Capital University (JD)

Scott Oelslager (born October 15, 1953) is an American politician who has served in the Ohio House of Representatives since 2019. He represents the 48th district. He previously held the same seat from 2003 to 2010 and also served in the Ohio Senate from 1985 to 2002 and again from 2011 to 2018. He is a Republican.

Life and career

A graduate of Mount Union College, Oelslager formerly worked as an aide for his predecessor, Tom Walsh. When Walsh resigned his seat, Oelslager was first appointed to replace him in 1985, and was re-elected in 1986 with 52% of the vote. Following that election, Oelslager was elected three more times.

In 2002, Oeslager faced term-limits and instead he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives for the 51st district, and was re-elected in 2004, 2006 and 2008. Oelslager was unopposed in 2004 and 2008. He again was term-limited out of the House in 2010.

Return to the Ohio Senate

In 2010, Oelslager decided to run for his old seat in the Ohio Senate, swapping seats with Kirk Schuring, who preceded Oelslager in the House. Oelslager defeated his opponent, Richard Reinbold, with 59% of the vote. In his return to the Senate, Oelslager served as chairman of the Health & Human Services Committee for the 129th Ohio General Assembly.

For the 130th Ohio General Assembly, Oelslager was named chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, the committee tasked with amending the Governor's budget. He was re-elected easily in 2014, attaining 66% of the vote over Democrat Connie Rubin.

Term limited again in 2018, Oelslager again switched seats with Schuring, again winning a seat in the Ohio House of Representatives. He was sworn in for his fifth term in the house on January 3, 2019.

Electoral history

Election results[1]
YearOffice%%
1986Ohio SenateScott Oelslager51.90%Jim Gwin48.10%
1990Scott Oelslager62.10%Patricia Nolan38.90%
1994Scott Oelslager71.27%Maria Kalorides28.73%
1998Scott Oelslager69.94%Doug Dalo30.06%
2002Ohio House of RepresentativesScott Oelslager69.93%Marilyn Scott30.07%
2004Scott Oelslager100% Unopposed
2006Scott Oelslager62.85%Kody Gonzales37.15%
2008Scott Oelslager100% Unopposed
2010Ohio SenateScott Oelslager59.25%Richard Reinbold40.75%
2014Scott Oelslager66.69%Connie Rubin33.31%
2018Ohio House of RepresentativesScott Oelslager64.04%Lorraine Wilburn35.97%

External links

Notes and References

  1. Ohio Secretary of State, Election Results 1986–2010