Legislative leaders are preparing for the new 129th General Assembly that will begin in January by lining up leadership within each respective caucus.
In the House this week, Republicans elected Rep. Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) speaker, Rep. Lou Blessing (R-Cincinnati) speaker pro tem, Rep. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) majority floor leader, Rep. Barbara Sears (R-Maumee) assistant majority floor leader, Rep. John Adams (R-Sidney) majority whip and Rep. Cheryl Grossman (R-Grove City) assistant majority whip.
Separately, Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) was tapped to chair the House Finance & Appropriations Committee. Representative-elect John Carey (R-Wellston), who currently chairs the companion committee in the Senate, will serve as vice chair.
On the Senate side, Democrats elected Sen. Capri Cafaro (D-Hubbard) minority leader, Sen. Shirley Smith (D-Cleveland) assistant minority leader, Senator-elect Edna Brown (D-Toledo) minority whip, and Sen. Jason Wilson (D-Columbiana) assistant minority whip.
Senate Republicans are expected to elect their leadership team by month’s end and then move quickly to appoint three new members to replace Secretary of State-elect Jon Husted, Congressman-elect Bob Gibbs and state Representative-elect Tim Grendell. We will publish the results of all leadership elections as they occur as well as information about newly appointed legislators.