Dysfunction and division is rife among Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives following the surprise bipartisan election of Lawrence County Republican Jason Stephens as Speaker of the House.
The decision, which upended Toledo-area Rep. Derek Merrin’s seeming lock following a secret GOP caucus vote in November, displays maximum power from Democrats, who managed to decide one of the most consequential questions in Capitol Square despite being in the deep minority.
Stephens also is an opponent of the Backpack Bill, which would dramatically expand private-school vouchers in Ohio. This explains why the Ohio Education Association, the largest state teacher’s union that is one of the remaining, reliably liberal unions, is one of Stephens’ donors and congratulated him on his victory.
Rep. Gary Click, a very conservative Merrin backer from Seneca County, said he met with Stephens for an hour on Thursday. He said the conversation was respectful, but that Stephens has lost his trust. If those 14 Republicans, and any other pro-Merrin lawmakers, continue to oppose Stephens’ agenda, it will be hard for him to pass anything without Democratic support. So unless things change quickly, it’s hard to see anything much getting done at the Statehouse.Ohio voters approved term limits in the 1990s that limit House and Senate members from serving no more than what amounts to eight years consecutively in any one office.
Stephens will be eligible to remain in the House for another six years. His supporters sold this as an opportunity to bring stability to the House.
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