Ohio Gets New Speaker of the House

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman has secured support from House Republicans during a closed-door meeting.

So how he’s officially the incoming Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.

Tim Barhorst, backed by right-wing groups like Ohio Gun Owners and End Abortion Ohio, couldn’t gather enough resistance to win.

Instead, the caucus opted for continuity over chaos.

Huffman is promising an “aggressive, conservative agenda”.

The @OHRGOPCaucus unanimously elected @OhioSenateGOP President @matthuffman1 to serve as Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives at the start of the new 136th General Assembly in January. Read more here.https://t.co/TQSJ9VGNW9 pic.twitter.com/XpgY2QjAfq

— Ohio Senate GOP (@OhioSenateGOP) November 20, 2024

Yahoo News reports:

Ohio House Republicans unanimously selected state Senate President Matt Huffman to lead them for at least the next two years, ending a contentious fight for the gavel that drove out current Speaker Jason Stephens.

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Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, dropped out of the speaker’s race Monday, leaving Huffman, R-Lima, with an 11th-hour challenge from Fort Loramie Rep. Tim Barhorst.

Barhorst won the support of groups like anti-vaccine Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom, Ohio Gun Owners and End Abortion Ohio, which advocates for prosecuting women who have abortions. Barhorst initially tried to rally lawmakers who were worried about Huffman, 64, leading the chamber for eight years or frustrated with how the Senate handled House bills.

But in the end, Huffman won support from House Republicans in a closed-door meeting Wednesday. He was elected unanimously after Barhorst didn’t put his name forward.

“I do think that there’s some reconciliation that needs to happen,” Huffman told reporters after the vote. “Starting Jan. 6, this will be a forward-looking Republican caucus. This group of 65 will be setting, I hope, an aggressive, conservative agenda.”

Huffman pitched his experience leading a legislative body and raising money for candidates. U.S. Reps. Jim Jordan, Mike Carey, Troy Balderson and Warren Davidson backed his speakership.

“There’s a presumption that I would be an eight-year speaker,” he told reporters Wednesday, adding that his father worked as an attorney until age 89. “I don’t know if that’s likely but it’s certainly possible.

When is the official speaker’s vote?
Huffman won’t be named speaker officially until January when the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives votes on its next leader. Historically, the majority party has picked its preferred candidate and the minority party has signed off.

But that wasn’t the case for two recent House speakers. Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, won the gavel in 2019 with votes from 26 Republicans and 26 Democrats. He was later convicted of participating in a pay-to-play scandal to win the speakership and pass a nuclear bailout.

In 2023, Stephens won the job with the support of 22 Republicans and 32 Democrats. The majority of Republicans backed Toledo-area Rep. Derek Merrin instead. His ouster led to a divisive two-year session marked by infighting and gridlock. The state GOP and multiple county Republican parties censured GOP lawmakers who backed Stephens.

I’d like to congratulate my friend and current Senate President Matt Huffman on being elected Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives!

President Huffman is a committed public servant, working tirelessly for the people of Ohio, and I know he will continue that great work as… pic.twitter.com/kV0MrKttM9

— Ohio Senator Theresa Gavarone (@theresagavarone) November 21, 2024

Here’s a curious moment..

Never in my life seen this: A Sergeant-in-Arms preventing from LEAVING the Statehouse to pursue Senator Matt Huffman!!!! pic.twitter.com/y7tBsRKS2m

— The Rooster (@rooster_ohio) November 20, 2024