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Ohio State Senate elections, 2014
Elections for the Ohio State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on May 6, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was February 5, 2014.
Following the general election, there was no change to the majority control of the Ohio State Senate. The Republican Party strengthened their control of the chamber, increasing their total seats from 60 to 65. The Democratic Party sustained a loss of four seats, decreasing their total from 38 to 34. The chamber's vacant seat was filled during the general election.
Incumbents retiring
A total of four incumbents did not run for re-election in 2014. Those incumbents were:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Eric Kearney |  Democratic |
Senate District 09 |
| Shirley Smith | Democratic |
Senate District 21 |
| Nina Turner | Democratic |
Senate District 25 |
| Tim Schaffer |  Republican |
Senate District 31 |
Majority control
- See also: Partisan composition of state senates
Heading into the November 4 election, the Republican Party held the majority in the Ohio State Senate:
| Ohio State Senate | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2014 | After November 4, 2014 | |
| Democratic Party | 10 | 10 | |
| Republican Party | 23 | 23 | |
| Total | 33 | 33 | |
Qualifications
Article 2, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution states: Senators and representatives shall have resided in their respective districts one year next preceding their election, unless they shall have been absent on the public business of the United States, or of this state.
Article 2, Section 5 of the Ohio Constitution states: No person hereafter convicted of an embezzlement of the public funds, shall hold any office in this state; nor shall any person, holding public money for disbursement, or otherwise, have a seat in the General Assembly, until he shall have accounted for, and paid such money into the treasury.
Competitiveness
Candidates unopposed by a major party
In 4 (23.5%) of the 17 districts up for election in 2014, there was only one major party candidate running for election. A total of three Republicans and one Democrat were guaranteed election barring unforeseen circumstances.
Two major party candidates faced off in the general election in 13 (76.4%) of the 17 districts up for election.
Primary challenges
Five incumbents faced primary competition on May 6. Four incumbents did not seek re-election in 2014 and another eight incumbents advanced past the primary without opposition. The state senators that faced primary competition were:
- District 1: Incumbent Cliff Hite defeated Milo Schaffner and Corey Shankleton in the Republican primary. No Democratic candidate filed to run.
- District 3: Incumbent Kevin Bacon defeated Kevin Solveson in the Republican primary.
- District 7: Incumbent Shannon Jones defeated Kelly Kohls in the Republican primary.
- District 27: Incumbent Frank LaRose defeated Caleb Davenport in the Republican primary.
- District 29: Incumbent Scott Oelslager defeated Dennis Harbert in the Republican primary.
Retiring incumbents
Four incumbent senators did not run for re-election, while 13 (76.4%) of the current 17 incumbents ran for re-election. A list of those incumbents, three Democrats and one Republican, can be found above.
List of candidates
District 1
May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed for election.
May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Cliff Hite: 17,890
- Incumbent Hite was first appointed to the chamber in 2011. - Milo Schaffner: 5,233
- Corey Shankleton: 6,395
- Cliff Hite: 17,890
- November 4 General election candidates:
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District 3
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Star Johnson: 8,053
- Star Johnson: 8,053
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Kevin Bacon: 13,062 - Incumbent Bacon was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Kevin Solveson: 3,526
- Kevin Bacon: 13,062
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Star Johnson: 32,877
- Kevin Bacon: 51,707
District 5
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Dee Gillis: 6,331
- Joe Lacey: 3,057
- Thomas Matthew: 2,885
- Dee Gillis: 6,331
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Bill Beagle: 18,139 - Incumbent Beagle was elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Bill Beagle: 18,139
Note: Julie Busby withdrew before the primary.
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Dee Gillis: 38,781
- Bill Beagle: 51,475
District 7
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Jimmy Allen: 4,477
- Jimmy Allen: 4,477
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Shannon Jones: 17,310 - Incumbent Jones was first appointed to the chamber on August 1, 2009.
- Kelly Kohls: 7,620
- Shannon Jones: 17,310
- November 4 General election candidates:
Note: Jimmy Allen withdrew from the race before the general election.[1]
District 9
Note: Incumbent Eric Kearney (D) did not run for re-election.
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Angela Beamon: 848
- Joe Hye: 162
- Catherine Ingram: 2,368
- Dale Mallory: 3,790
- Paul Sohi: 1,566
- Cecil Thomas: 4,346
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Jacqueline Mikita: 5,086
- Jacqueline Mikita: 5,086
Note: Jacqueline Mikita withdrew from the race before the general election, and was replaced by Winburn.[2]
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Cecil Thomas: 48,839
- Charlie Winburn: 36,611
District 11
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Edna Brown: 9,912 - Incumbent Brown was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Edna Brown: 9,912
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Ernest McCarthy: 4,168
- Ernest McCarthy: 4,168
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Edna Brown: 48,838
- Ernest McCarthy: 27,002
Note: Jack Ford (I) was removed from the ballot on August 21, 2014, by the Lucas County Board of Elections, after it was discovered that he voted on the Democratic ballot in the May 6 primary.[3]
District 13
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Marcus Madison: 7,124
- Marcus Madison: 7,124
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Gayle L. Manning: 11,007 - Incumbent Manning was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Gayle L. Manning: 11,007
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Marcus Madison: 33,028
- Gayle L. Manning: 57,261
District 15
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Charleta B. Tavares: 15,365 - Incumbent Tavares was elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Charleta B. Tavares: 15,365
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Joe Healy: 4,722
- Joe Healy: 4,722
Libertarian candidates:
- Jeff Brown: 14
- Jeff Brown: 14
- November 4 General election candidates:
Note: Jeff Brown (L) withdrew from the race before the general election.[4]
- Charleta B. Tavares: 54,942
- Joe Healy: 16,974
District 17
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- No candidates filed for election.
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Bob Peterson: 16,071 - Incumbent Peterson was first appointed to the chamber in March 2012.
- Bob Peterson: 16,071
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Bob Peterson
District 19
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Neil Patel: 7,056
- Neil Patel: 7,056
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Kris Jordan: 14,290 - Incumbent Jordan was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Kris Jordan: 14,290
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Neil Patel: 39,240
- Kris Jordan: 61,513
District 21
Note: Incumbent Shirley Smith (D) did not run for re-election.
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Willie Lewis Britt: 1,350
- Gerald Carver Henley: 2,762
- Sandra Williams: 22,113
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Sikiru Kafaru: 266
- Sikiru Kafaru: 266
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Sandra Williams: 64,579
- Sikiru Kafaru: 9,938
District 23
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Michael Skindell: 17,573 - Incumbent Skindell was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Michael Skindell: 17,573
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Tom Haren: 6,011
- Harry Ristmae: 1,466
- Tom Haren: 6,011
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Michael Skindell: 44,221
- Tom Haren: 26,684
District 25
Note: Incumbent Nina Turner (D) did not run for re-election.
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Thaddeus Jackson: 7,116
- Ed Jerse: 5,744
- Kenny Yuko: 13,950
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Hasani Crider: 238
- Hasani Crider: 238
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Kenny Yuko: 67,651
- Hasani Crider: 21,928
District 27
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- George Rusiska: 5,685
- George Rusiska: 5,685
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Frank LaRose: 10,778 - Incumbent LaRose was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Caleb Davenport: 6,654
- Frank LaRose: 10,778
- November 4 General election candidates:
- George Rusiska: 30,610
- Frank LaRose: 64,259
District 29
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Connie Rubin: 9,541
- Connie Rubin: 9,541
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Scott Oelslager: 12,374 - Incumbent Oelslager was first elected to the chamber in 2010.
- Dennis Harbert: 2,998
- Scott Oelslager: 12,374
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Connie Rubin: 30,491
- Scott Oelslager: 60,743
District 31
Note: Incumbent Tim Schaffer (R) did not run for re-election.
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- John Carlisle: 10,399
- John Carlisle: 10,399
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- Jay Hottinger: 17,199
- Jay Hottinger: 17,199
- November 4 General election candidates:
- John Carlisle: 31,766
- Jay Hottinger: 59,107
District 33
- May 6 Democratic primary candidates:
- Joseph Schiavoni: 21,827 - Incumbent Schiavoni was first appointed to the chamber in December 2009.
- Joseph Schiavoni: 21,827
- May 6 Republican primary candidates:
- No candidates filed for election.
- November 4 General election candidates:
- Joseph Schiavoni
See also
External links
- 2014 May Primary Candidates list
- Ohio Secretary of State, General Election Candidates List
- Official primary and general election results
Footnotes
- ↑ Cleveland.com, "Ohio GOP could hit high-water mark of 62 seats in Ohio's 99-seat House: Thomas Suddes," accessed September 19, 2014
- ↑ Cincinnati.com, "Winburn announces run for state Senate," accessed August 20, 2014
- ↑ Toledo Blade, "Elections board votes 4-0 not to let Ford run State Senate candidate off Nov. ballot," August 22, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, "General Election Candidate List," accessed September 19, 2014
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