Jennifer Brunner is currently completing the last two years of a six-year term as Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. In the November election, her two Democratic colleagues Justices Micheal P. Donnelly and Melody J. Stewart, were defeated, along with Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes, who was seeking an open seat on the court. Come January, Republicans will have a 6-1 majority on Ohio’s highest Court.
Several years ago, the Ohio legislature decided to put the political designation of the candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court and the State Courts of Appeals on the ballot. So now, Ohio voters can simply vote a straight party ticket when choosing judges of Ohio’s highest courts, rather than consider qualifications such as judicial experience. When and if Brunner runs for re-election, the designation of Democrat next to her name will probably be her death knell based on Ohio’s status as a solidly red state.
With the defeat of Senator Sherrod Brown, who was first elected in 2006, Brunner now has the distinction of being the only Democrat to hold a statewide office in Ohio.
There was a time in the last several decades that Ohio was a swing state. It was legitimately up for grabs by either party. In the second half of the 20th century Ohio had three Democratic governors — Mike Disalle, John Gilligan and Dick Celeste. But only Celeste was able to garner a second term. In the 21st century, Ohio had one Democratic Governor Ted Strickland, who has strong support in the southern part of and state. He won with 60% of the vote, which amounted to just over one million votes by defeating Ken Blackwell, a Black Republican, who had previously served as Ohio secretary of state and state treasurer. In the 2022 gubernatorial race, incumbent Republican Governor Mike DeWine won with 63% of the vote to defeat former Dayton mayor, Democrat Nan Whaley.
From 1976 to 1995 Ohio had two Democratic Senators — Howard Metzenbaum and John Glenn. During that same period, Democrats held the office of secretary of state when Anthony J. Celebreeze Jr., Sherrod Brown and Jennifer Brunner were elected. During the 24 years between 1971 and 1995, Democrats held the office of auditor of state.
Fast forward to 2024. Of the 15 members of the Ohio Congressional Delegation, only five seats are held by Democrats. Democratic Representative Marcie Kaptur, from Ohio’s 9thcongressional district, the longest serving woman in the history of the US House of Representatives, edged out her Republican opponent in the 2024 election in one of the closest races in the state. But prospects of a Democrats holding that seat if the 78-year-old Kaptur decides not to run in 2026 will be a challenge.
The Ohio Senate has eight Democrats and 25 Republicans and the Ohio House of Representatives 32 Democrats and 67 Republicans. Since Ohio voters rejected Issue 1, which would have provided for a bipartisan process for the drawing of congressional and statehouse districts, the Republican majority in the legislature will continue to create districts that are most favorable to their party, making it even more difficult for Democrats to get elected.
The problem for Ohio Democrats is that there are few incubators to nurture and train candidates for statewide office. Democrats elect candidates to local offices in Democratic strongholds, like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. But those offices become a dead-end street in terms of statewide races, especially for Black candidates.
Democratic congresspersons are unwilling to give up a safe seat to run statewide when the odds are not in their favor. Look at what happened to Congressman Tim Ryan when he ran for the Senate in 2022, an election that resulted in now Vice-President Elect, JD Vance, becoming Ohio senator. Vance defeated Ryan with 53% of the vote, with Ryan only winning the Democrat urban strongholds and losing his home district.
Republican George Voinovich used his position as mayor of the City of Cleveland to go to the governor’s office and the United States Senate. But Voinovich was not new to the voters, having served as county auditor, county commissioner and lieutenant governor. In addition, his ethnic background appealed to large portions of the immigrant and second-generation immigrant voters of both parties, making him a candidate with crossover appeal.
Ohio voters have gotten older, whiter, less educated and more Republican over the last two decades. Democratic strongholds that were the backbone of the Democratic vote can no longer be relied on for various reasons, including changing demographics, voter suppression, low voter turnout, and of course, the cult status of Donald Trump.
Barack Obama carried Ohio in both 2008 and 2012, but Donald Trump carried Ohio in 2016 with 51%; in 2020 with 53% and in 2024 with 55%. Sadly, Ohio is in line with the national trend.
In Washington, Republicans control the Supreme Court, the White House and the Congress. Ditto Ohio, except for our lone holdout — Jennifer Brunner.
C. Ellen Connally is a retired judge of the Cleveland Municipal Court. From 2010 to 2014 she served as the President of the Cuyahoga County Council. An avid reader and student of American history, she is a former member of the Board of the Ohio History Connection, and past president of the Cleveland Civil War Round Table, and is currently vice president of the Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument Commission. She holds degrees from BGSU, CSU and is all but dissertation for a PhD from the University of Akron.