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Republicans win all three seats

Posted on by Vanessa
Republicans win all three seats

Republicans expanded their control of the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday, winning three races and giving the GOP six of seven seats starting in January.

The Republican victories come as justices will decide cases involving abortion law changes that voters approved last year. Ohio Right to Life endorsed the three Republicans for the Supreme Court.

Incumbent Democratic Judge Melody Stewart lost to Judge Joe Deters, a Republican who was appointed to the bench by Gov. Mike DeWine two years ago. Deters, a former prosecutor, chose to challenge Stewart rather than run to keep his seat.

Incumbent Judge Michael Donnelly, a Cleveland-area Democrat, lost his seat to Republican challenger Megan Shanahan, a Hamilton County judge running statewide for the first time.

“This is about Ohio. This is about the future of our state,” Shanahan told his supporters. “I will take this oath to uphold the Constitution and the laws as written. I will take a conservative approach on the bench, as I have promised you every day for the last two years.”

And Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Dan Hawkins beat Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes, a Democrat. Hawkins won the seat vacated by Deters.

Hawkins said he will challenge his reputation as a fair judge who listens to all sides. “I will take this temperament to the next level on our Ohio Supreme Court. You can bet you will be proud of me. I will do justice well. I will protect the public and our true Constitution and rule of law, and you can take that to the bank.”

Since 1986, Republicans have been the majority on the seven-member Ohio Supreme Court.

In the last two election cycles, a new law required party identification for candidates for the Supreme Court and appeals courts. Republicans won Supreme Court races in 2022 and this year.

In January, Judge Jennifer Brunner will be the only Democrat on the court.

More: There are six candidates running for three seats in the Ohio Supreme Court election

Ohio Supreme Court election results

More: Ohio sets new record for early in-person voting, surpassing 2020 pandemic numbers

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Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which covers the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

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