HUDSON, Ohio -- As the 2020 election looms closer by the day, we wait to see which direction our country wishes to go in for the presidency. However, while the chaos in Washington, D.C., endures, we neglect to focus on elections closer to home. Yet this is a time when a new generation of Ohio politicians is moving into office.
Ohio’s current senators and governor are moving towards the end of their political careers. Sen. Sherrod Brown is 67, Sen. Rob Portman is 64, and Gov. Mike Dewine is 73. As we move closer to a changing of the guard in generational leadership, a new pack of leaders has emerged that, when the time comes, will be ready to step in to fill the giant shoes left behind by these politicians.
Josh Rogers of Hudson is a political science major at Clark University.
These are six of the rising political stars in Ohio.
D-Emilia Sykes: Minority leader of the Ohio House. Age 34
In 2013, following a stint in the Summit County Fiscal Office, Sykes followed in her father’s footsteps and ran for public office. She easily defeated her Republican opponent for the 34th Ohio House seat, receiving 72 percent of the vote. Since then, she has become the leader of her party in the Ohio House. As a young African American woman from Akron, she is the perfect representation of the modern Democratic Party and will surely continue rising through the ranks.
R-Jon Husted: Ohio lieutenant governor. Age 52
Husted is someone who has already climbed the political ladder in Ohio. However, at just 52 years old, we could see him ascend to a higher office soon enough. In 2001, Husted joined the Ohio House, then quickly garnered a lengthy resume, including two terms as Ohio secretary of state. During his 2014 bid for re-election as secretary of state, he knocked off political juggernaut and one of Bernie Sanders’ closest allies, Nina Turner. He has the resume and experience, and could soon climb to the top of Ohio politics.
D-Joe Schiavoni: Former Ohio Senate minority leader/2018 candidate for governor. Age 40
Despite not holding any office currently, Schiavoni is not done with politics. Despite finishing third in the 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary election, he stayed competitive with Ohio heavy-hitters Dennis Kucinich and Richard Cordray. His time in the Ohio Senate is also noteworthy: He consistently fought for better education, water quality, collective bargaining rights, and protection of minors. While he is currently out of politics, do not be surprised if he jumps at the opportunity to run for office again.
R-Frank LaRose: Ohio secretary of state. Age 40
Following his return from Iraq, LaRose burst onto the Ohio political scene, quickly rising from a state senator to the current secretary of state. Despite a battle over inactive voters, his influence has been felt in Ohio politics throughout the last decade. LaRose was the chair of the Ohio Senate Transportation, Commerce, and Workforce Committee. His quick rise in Ohio politics will continue. Expect to hear his name frequently in the coming years.
D-Casey Weinstein: 37th District representative to Ohio’s House. Age 37
Endorsed by former President Barack Obama, Weinstein won the tightly contested 37th Ohio House District by 700 votes in 2018. While not a household name, Weinstein is someone to watch. He is an Air Force veteran who, despite being a first-term representative, has already proposed more legislation than many of his more experienced colleagues. That includes a proposed prohibition on large-capacity magazines, increasing the use of clean energy, and creating a holiday honoring women veterans. Expect Weinstein to be a force in Ohio politics.
R-Larry Obhof: President of the Ohio Senate. Age 42
Obhof has been a force to be reckoned with in the Ohio Senate for most of the past decade. He has fought relentlessly for education, civil and criminal law reform, election administration, and taxation reform. Obhof has also received numerous awards throughout his political career, from his work with child protection services to religious freedoms. He is a highly influential politician as is; it would not be surprising to hear his name more in the future.
Josh Rogers of Hudson is a student at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, majoring in political science. The author previously volunteered for Weinstein, but does not intend this column as an endorsement of any of the politicians he mentions.
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