Campaigns & Elections
2010 is an important election year in Ohio. All statewide offices, including the race for Governor, will be on the ballot, along with all 99 Ohio House of Representative seats, odd numbered Ohio Senate Districts, all Congressional Seats, and one US Senate seat that is being vacated by George Voinovich.
2010 is of particular importance because the outcome will determine the make up of the Apportionment Board which is tasked with drawing the district lines every 10 years. The party that holds the majority of the Apportionment Board seats can draw the district boarders in a way that give the electoral advantage to their own party. The Ohio Apportionment Board in Ohio consist of the Governor, the Auditor of State, the Secretary of State, one Republican legislator chosen by the House and the Senate and one Democrat legislator chosen by the House and the Senate. So which ever party wins two out of the three statewide apportionment seats will have the electoral advantage until after the next census is conducted.
2010 Election Rundown
Governor - Democrat Governor Ted Strickland will be opposed by former Republican Congressman John Kasich.
Kasich has named State Auditor Mary Taylor as his running mate and Governor Strickland has named former Franklin County Judge Yvette McGee Brown to be his running mate as the current Lt. Governor Lee Fisher is running for US Senate.
Secretary of State – State Senator and former Speaker of the House Jon Husted will face Franklin County Clerk of Courts, Maryellen O'Shaughnessy.
Auditor - David Yost from Delaware is running on the Republican side. On the Democrat side, David Pepper of Hamilton County is running.
Attorney General – Current AG Richard Cordray (Democrat) faces a challenge from the former US Senator Mike DeWine who is running as the Republican candidate
Treasurer - Democrat Kevin Boyce was appointed to the Treasurer’s seat when Richard Cordray was appointed as Ohio’s Attorney General. Boyce is running to retain the seat against current State Representative Josh Mandel is running for the spot.
State Supreme Court – There are two seats up for election in 2010. One is to fill the position of Chief Justice. Justice Tom Moyer would have been aged out of the seat. However, he passed away before his term expired. Governor Strickland appointed Democrat candidate Eric Brown to the seat. Brown will be challenged by current Justice Maureen O’Connor.
For the second seat, current Republican Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger is being challenged by Judge Mary Jane Trapp. Justice Paul E. Pfeifer is unchallenged in November.
Ohio House of Representatives - All the members of the Ohio House of Representatives are up for re-election in 2010 as the Democrats try to maintain their majority in the Ohio House of Representatives. Currently there are 53 Democrats and 46 Republicans in the Ohio House. The Republican lost their majority in 2008 but they are confident they will be able to take it back this year. However, the Democrats have been very effective fundraisers, so expect many of these races to get very contentious and heated.
Ohio Senate - In the Ohio Senate, the Republicans are highly likely to maintain their 21-12 majority. Of the eight Republican seats up for election in 2010, five members are term limited: Senators Goodman, Harris, Carey, Coughlin, and Schuring. Of the eight Democrats up for election in the Ohio Senate, only Senator Fedor and Senator Ray Miller are term limited.
U. S. Senate - Another important race in 2010 will be the United States Senate seat currently held by George Voinovich. On the Republican side is former Congressman Rob Portman of Cincinnati. On the Democrat side, current Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher is running for the seat. This race will likely get national attention.
U. S. Congress - All House seats for the Congress are up for re-election this year. Several races, including the rematch in Central Ohio against Congresswomen Mary Jo Kilroy (D) and former State Senator Steve Stivers (R) and the race between Congressman Zach Space (D) and State Senator Bob Gibbs (R), will garner national attention as the Republican try to capture the majority for the Democrats in Washington.
