(C) Ohio Capital Journal
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‘Moderate’ Republican Jason Stephens snatches Ohio House Speaker position in surprise upset [1]
['Morgan Trau', 'More From Author', '- January']
Date: 2023-01-04
“I think this particular vote speaks for itself, I think it’s an issue of ‘what do we want,’ [what] ‘brings us together,” he told reporters. “And when we have common ground as a group of Ohioans, we can do a lot of good things.”
Numerous Democratic lawmakers told OCJ/WEWS that another item in the deal was the elimination of House Joint Resolution 6, the resolution to require a 60% supermajority vote in order for constitutional amendments to succeed. This bill failed in the 134th General Assembly after mass outrage.
“We’ll have to look at that, we will have to look at all the different things,” Stephens answered on that issue, noting that the schedule is about to get really busy with the budget prep and he’s “got a lot of things to do.”
Stephens is considered the much more moderate option than Merrin.
“Speaker Stephens led a coalition of moderate lawmakers from across the aisle, who will now focus on delivering the common sense solutions that Ohioans sent us here to deliver,” state Rep. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, said. “Now we can work on investing in our communities, on public education, and workforce development.”
Weinstein added that he has worked with him, and finds him to be a constructive lawmaker focused on common-sense legislation, he said, adding that he will need to remain “moderate,” since he needs the support from the Democrats.
“Ohioans want results and they want us to work together to deliver them,” Weinstein said. “I’m confident we will be able to do that with Speaker Stephens in office.”
Twenty-two Republicans joined the vote, with 54 votes for Stephens and 43 for Merrin.
“I think it’s important for the House to be able to come together on issues we do agree on, and that’s what I hope to be able to do,” Stephens said. “And that outreach will help us to get, you know, the things we need to get done in Ohio.”
As expected, the news was not taken well by Merrin and his supporters. He did not want to comment, but one of his biggest supporters and allies did.
“The reason why he won that initial vote was because when… the votes about issues and policies and doing what’s right for religious freedom, doing what’s right for family, doing what’s right for life — Derek won that vote,” Aaron Baer with the Center for Christian Virtue said. “Today something else came up that led votes another way.”
Lawmakers on each side told OCJ/WEWS the past 48 hours have been a whirlwind and the Ohio House Republican Caucus has never been more divided.
“You have a lot of folks who are hurt, who feel betrayed, and it’s going to be a real test to say, are you really going to bring people together?” Baer asked. “Or did you just sell out everything you stand for in order to get a position of power?”
The Republicans still have a supermajority, so there isn’t much need for panicking on the bills he cares about, Baer added.
Stephens said he wants to work on unifying the state, but some conservative Republicans said there is no coming back from this. The speaker isn’t fazed.
“Working along beside each other after a tough vote and an emotional vote… the way you do that is through communication,” he said. “I intend to try to do my best to communicate and to listen and to be there for all members of the House, regardless of party.”
Who is Jason Stephens?
Stephens is an insurance agent from rural Southern Ohio, near the West Virginia border.
In the 134th General Assembly, he serves as the chairman of the Energy & Natural Resources Committee, as well as sat on the Finance, Insurance and Public Utilities committees.
He joined the 133rd Assembly as an appointee after former Speaker of the House Ryan Smith left to become president of University of Rio Grande.
He served in local government within Lawrence County for about two decades.
Ties to the past
Former Speaker Smith resigned after a very similar turn of events.
Larry Householder, the disgraced Republican whose corruption and bribery trial starts in January, struck a deal with the Democrats back in 2019 for his upset win against Smith.
Householder was arrested in connection with a $60 million dollar bribe from FirstEnergy to ensure the passage of House Bill 6, a controversial bill dubbed by environmental scientists and activists as the “worst energy bill of the 21st century.” Householder has pleaded not guilty. Jury selection in his trial begins Jan. 20.
Stephens voted against expelling Householder. Merrin did, as well, but the trajectory of Stephens’ fight for speakership mirrors Householder’s.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
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