Gavel before the Supreme Court of the State of Ohio. (Photo: Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo with original article only.)

Ohio Republicans tightened their grip on the Ohio Supreme Court from 4-3 to 6-1, unseating two incumbent Democratic justices and winning a third open seat based on unofficial results that Associated Press projects. The results will not be official until they are certified by local county boards of elections and the Ohio Secretary of State.

The Ohio Supreme Court will rule on a variety of issues that affect the daily lives of Ohioans, from education and environmental issues to gerrymandering and elections to civil rights and reproductive rights.

TThe state’s highest court has been under Republican control since 1986, and Republicans currently hold a 4-3 majority, which will increase to 6-1 starting in 2025.

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Republican Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Shanahan defeated incumbent Democratic Judge Michael P. Donnelly, according to unofficial results.

“I am honored and grateful to the millions of Ohioans who have placed their trust in me as an Ohio Supreme Court Justice,” Shanahan said in his post. campaign Facebook page. “I will stay true to what I campaigned for and be a Supreme Court Justice who knows my job is to interpret the law, not make it. “I will go to work every day and focus on protecting Ohio’s citizens, communities and constitution.”

Donnelly said serving Ohio “has been the honor of a lifetime.”

“Although today’s result is not what we hoped for, my commitment to justice and transparency remains unwavering,” he said in his post. campaign Facebook page. “We would like to thank everyone who supports our vision of an independent judiciary that puts people before politics. “I will continue to fight for reforms that protect your rights and preserve the integrity of our courts.”

According to unofficial results, incumbent Republican Judge Joseph Deters defeated incumbent Democratic Judge Melody Stewart, removing her from the court.

Deters decided not to run for his current seat and won the six-year term. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Deters, a former prosecutor, to the vacant seat in January 2023 despite having no prior experience as a judge.

Republican Judge Dan Hawkins defeated Democratic Judge Lisa Forbes in the open-seat race, the AP predicted.

This race was for the open seat of Deters, and his term ends on December 31, 2026. Hawkins currently serves on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas and Forbes serves on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. Hawkins faces re-election to a six-year term in 2026.

“I am proud to have the support of the people of the great state of Ohio in this campaign,” Hawkins said in a statement to the Ohio Capital Journal. “The Supreme Court is a sacred institution, and I will serve with integrity every day to uphold the Constitution and uphold the rule of law.”

Forbes said he is “entering the race to make sure the Supreme Court is fair, balanced and independent, so that the Supreme Court can be a firewall that protects our democracy, the rule of law and the rights of all Ohioans.”

“I always knew this was going to be a tough race because of the Ohio legislature’s efforts to politicize the courts,” he told the Ohio Capital Journal. “Last night, that effort paid off. The partisan majority on the Supreme Court increased.”

In 2021, Republican state lawmakers added party labels to previously nonpartisan Ohio Supreme Court races.

Democratic Judge Jennifer Brunner’s seat will expire in 2026. The seats of Republican Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy, Republican Judge Pat DeWine and Republican Judge Pat Fischer will expire in 2028.

Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry in X.

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