# Ohio's 18th congressional district

The 18th congressional district of Ohio is an obsolete congressional district last represented by Republican Bob Gibbs. The district voted for the majority party in the House of Representatives in every election since 1954.
After the 2010 census, Ohio lost two congressional seats, and the 18th district became obsolete after the 2012 elections. The territory of the 18th district was divided and placed into several other Ohio districts. A large portion of this district, including Congressman Gibbs' home in Holmes County, became part of the new 7th district in 2013. William McKinley also represented this district from March 4, 1883 till May 27, 1884.

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Party | Years | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1833 ||||||
| Benjamin Jones (Wooster) | | Jacksonian | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1837 | 23rd 24th | Elected in 1832. Re-elected in 1834. [data missing] |
| Matthias Shepler (Bethlehem) | | Democratic | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | 25th | Elected in 1836. [data missing] |
| David A. Starkweather (Canton) | | Democratic | March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841 | 26th | Elected in 1838. [data missing] |
| Ezra Dean (Wooster) | | Democratic | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1845 | 27th 28th | Elected in 1840. Re-elected in 1843. [data missing] |
| David A. Starkweather (Canton) | | Democratic | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1847 | 29th | Elected in 1844. [data missing] |
| Samuel Lahm (Canton) | | Democratic | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1849 | 30th | Elected in 1846. [data missing] |
| David K. Cartter (Massillon) | | Democratic | March 4, 1849 – March 3, 1853 | 31st 32nd | Elected in 1848. Re-elected in 1850. [data missing] |
| George Bliss (Akron) | | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd | Elected in 1852. [data missing] |
| Benjamin F. Leiter (Canton) | | Opposition | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1859 | 34th 35th | Elected in 1854. Re-elected in 1856. [data missing] |
| Sidney Edgerton (Tallmadge) | | Republican | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1863 | 36th 37th | Elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. [data missing] |
| Rufus P. Spalding (Cleveland) | | Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1869 | 38th 39th 40th | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. Re-elected in 1866. [data missing] |
| William H. Upson (Akron) | | Republican | March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1873 | 41st 42nd | Elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. [data missing] |
| James Monroe (Oberlin) | | Republican | March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 | 43rd 44th 45th | Redistricted from the 14th district and re-elected in 1872. Re-elected in 1874. Re-elected in 1876. Redistricted to the 17th district. |
| Jonathan T. Updegraff (Mount Pleasant) | | Republican | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | 46th | Elected in 1878. Redistricted to the 16th district. |
| Addison S. McClure (Wooster) | | Republican | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | 47th | Elected in 1880. [data missing] |
| William McKinley (Canton) | | Republican | March 4, 1883 – May 27, 1884 | 48th | Lost contested election |
| Jonathan H. Wallace (New Lisbon) | | Democratic | May 27, 1884 – March 3, 1885 | 48th | Won contested election. [data missing] |
| Isaac H. Taylor (Carrollton) | | Republican | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887 | 49th | Elected in 1884. [data missing] |
| William McKinley (Canton) | | Republican | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891 | 50th 51st | Redistricted from the 20th district and re-elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. [data missing] |
| Joseph D. Taylor (Cambridge) | | Republican | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | Redistricted from the 17th district and re-elected in 1890. [data missing] |
| George P. Ikirt (East Liverpool) | | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | 53rd | Elected in 1892. [data missing] |
| Robert W. Tayler (Lisbon) | | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1903 | 54th 55th 56th 57th | Elected in 1894. Re-elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. Re-elected in 1900. [data missing] |
| James Kennedy (Youngstown) | | Republican | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1911 | 58th 59th 60th 61st | Elected in 1902. Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. [data missing] |
| John J. Whitacre (Canton) | | Democratic | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1915 | 62nd 63rd | Elected in 1910. Re-elected in 1912. [data missing] |
| David Hollingsworth (Cadiz) | | Republican | March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1919 | 64th 65th | Elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. [data missing] |
| B. Frank Murphy (Steubenville) | | Republican | March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1933 | 66th 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st 72nd | Elected in 1918. Re-elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Re-elected in 1930. Lost re-election. |
| Lawrence E. Imhoff (St. Clairsville) | | Democratic | March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939 | 73rd 74th 75th | Elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost re-election. |
| Earl Ramage Lewis (St. Clairsville) | | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1941 | 76th | Elected in 1938. Lost re-election. |
| Lawrence E. Imhoff (St. Clairsville) | | Democratic | January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943 | 77th | Elected in 1940. Lost re-election. |
| Earl R. Lewis (St. Clairsville) | | Republican | January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1949 | 78th 79th 80th | Elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Lost re-election. |
| Wayne Hays (Flushing) | | Democratic | January 3, 1949 – September 1, 1976 | 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th | Elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Re-elected in 1958. Re-elected in 1960. Re-elected in 1962. Re-elected in 1964. Re-elected in 1966. Re-elected in 1968. Re-elected in 1970. Re-elected in 1972. Re-elected in 1974. Resigned. |
| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | September 1, 1976 – January 3, 1977 | 94th | |
| Douglas Applegate (Steubenville) | | Democratic | January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1995 | 95th 96th 97th 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd | Elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Re-elected in 1980. Re-elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Retired. |
| Bob Ney (Heath) | | Republican | January 3, 1995 – November 3, 2006 | 104th 105th 106th 107th 108th 109th | Elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Re-elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Resigned. |
| Vacant | Vacant | Vacant | November 3, 2006 – January 3, 2007 | 109th | |
| Zack Space (Dover) | | Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011 | 110th 111th | Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election. |
| Bob Gibbs (Lakeville) | | Republican | January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013 | 112th | Elected in 2010. Redistricted to the 7th district. |
| District dissolved January 3, 2013 ||||||

## Election results

The following chart shows historic election results. Bold type indicates victor. Italic type indicates incumbent.
| Year | Democratic candidate | Republican candidate | Other candidate(s) |
| 1832 | Benjamin Jones : 3,037 | [ none ] | Samuel Quinby: 2,379 |
| 1834 | Benjamin Jones : 2,746 | [ none ] | Samuel Quinby (Whig) : 2,550 |
| 1836 | Matthias Shepler : 4,384 | [ none ] | Samuel Quinby (Whig) : 3,325 |
| 1838 | David A. Starkweather : 6,154 | [ none ] | Hiram B. Wellman (Whig) : 4,010 |
| 1840 | Ezra Dean : 6,508 | [ none ] | Levi Cox (Whig) : 5,399 |
| 1842 | Ezra Dean : 3,529 | [ none ] | George Wellhouse (Whig) : 1,517 John McDowell : 99 |
| 1844 | David A. Starkweather : 6,981 | [ none ] | John Augustine (Whig) : 5,449 Arvine Wales : 162 |
| 1846 | Samuel Lahm : 4,651 | [ none ] | David A. Starkweather (Whig) : 4,530 James Irvin : 116 |
| 1848 | David K. Cartter : 6,682 | [ none ] | Samuel Hemphill (Whig) : 4,448 |
| 1850 | David K. Cartter : 5,754 | [ none ] | John Brown (Whig) : 3,447 |
| 1852 | George Bliss : 6,140 | [ none ] | Darius Lyman (Whig) : 5,307 Thomas Earl : 1,708 Lucius V. Bierce : 446 |
| 1854 | Ebenezer Spalding : 5,053 | Benjamin F. Leiter : 8,738 | [ none ] |
| 1856 | Samuel Lahm : 6,794 | Benjamin F. Leiter : 9,394 | [ none ] |
| 1858 | J. L. Ranney : 7,162 | Sidney Edgerton : 8,184 | [ none ] |
| 1860 | David A. Starkweather : 6,956 | Sidney Edgerton : 9,720 | [ none ] |
| 1862 | David R. Paige, Sr. : 4,183 | Rufus P. Spalding : 9,293 | [ none ] |
| 1864 | Jeptha H. Wade : 6,661 | Rufus P. Spalding : 14,472 | [ none ] |
| 1866 | Oliver H. Payne : 7,974 | Rufus P. Spalding : 14,479 | [ none ] |
| 1868 | Franklin T. Backus : 11,980 | William H. Upson : 18,359 | [ none ] |
| 1870 | John M. Coffinberry : 6,695 | William H. Upson : 11,053 | John D. Taylor : 448 |
| 1872 | Norton S. Townshend : 10,298 | James Monroe : 14,662 | G. W. McNeil : 67 |
| 1874 | John K. McBride : 10,095 | James Monroe : 12,229 | H. F. Miller : 105 |
| 1876 | John J. Hall : 12,772 | James Monroe : 16,906 | S. H. McCollister : 52 |
| 1878 | Daniel T. Lawson : 12,593 | Jonathan T. Updegraff : 15,320 | George Smith : 2,231 David P. Lawson : 90 William M. Grimes : 37 |
| 1880 | David I. Wadsworth : 13,474 | Addison S. McClure : 18,570 | Peter J. Rice : 310 Ferdinand Schumacher : 205 |
| 1882 | Jonathan H. Wallace : 16,898 | William McKinley : 16,906 | Lemuel T. Foster : 976 James A. Brush : 261 |
| 1884 | Jonathan H. Wallace : 16,309 | Isaac H. Taylor : 22,459 | Charles Jenkins : 907 Albert R. Silver : 106 W. M. Cope : 82 |
| 1886 | Wallace H. Phelps : 16,217 | William McKinley : 18,776 | Isaiah S. Hahn : 1,853 Charles Jenkins : 1,419 |
| 1888 | George P. Ikirt : 21,150 | William McKinley : 25,249 | Lambelis P. Logan : 1,498 George W. Thornburg : 331 Isaiah Little : 38 |
| 1890 | Henry H. McFadden : 11,783 | Joseph D. Taylor : 16,993 | S. W. Wilkins : 1,568 |
| 1892 | George P. Ikirt : 22,600 | Thomas R. Morgan : 21,389 | Matthew B. Shay : 1,682 John W. Northrup : 1,218 |
| 1894 | Edward S. Raff : 11,051 | Robert W. Tayler : 20,830 | Jacob S. Coxey, Sr. (Pop) : 8,912 Enos H. Brosius : 1,679 |
| 1896 | Isaac R. Sherwood : 24,770 | Robert W. Tayler : 29,814 | James L. Swan : 476 |
| 1898 | Charles C. Weybrecht : 19,575 | Robert Walker Tayler : 22,635 | George C. Harvey (Pro) : 614 Samuel Borton (Soc Lab) : 686 L. B. Logan (Union Reform) : 212 |
| 1900 | John H. Morris : 25,026 | Robert Walker Tayler : 31,479 | Alvin C. Van Dyke (Union Reform) : 138 Charles F. Bough (Proh) : 909 Henry O. Bucklin (Soc Lab) : 143 |
| 1902 | William J. Foley : 16,472 | James Kennedy : 22,461 | Thomas J. Duffy : 7,923 Enos H. Brosius : 886 |
| 1904 | W. J. Foley : 16,472 | James Kennedy : 36,939 | Daniel J. Smith (Pro) : 1,861 John T. Jenkins (Socialist) : 2,522 |
| 1906 | John C. Welty : 17,840 | James Kennedy : 19,684 | Leslie Hawk : 1,299 John Evans : 932 |
| 1908 | John J. Whitacre : 29,040 | James Kennedy : 32,287 | Robert J. Wheeler (Socialist) : 2,551 Elias Jenkins (Pro) : 2,998 |
| 1910 | John J. Whitacre : 23,568 | James Kennedy : 20,617 | Thomas Williams : 4,907 Elias Jenkins : 1,462 |
| 1912 | John J. Whitacre : 23,936 | Roscoe C. McCulloch : 23,350 | George F. Lelansky : 7,617 |
| 1914 | William S. King : 22,476 | David Hollingsworth : 23,650 | Fred White : 2,936 V. A. Schreiber : 1,341 W. K. Weaver : 1,076 |
| 1916 | William B. Francis : 24,538 | David Hollingsworth : 26,991 | Robert Carson : 2,621 |
| 1918 | William B. Francis : 20,272 | B. Frank Murphy : 22,899 | [ none ] |
| 1920 | Albert O. Barnes: 32,802 | B. Frank Murphy: 52,862 | [ none ] |
| 1922 | Marion Huffman: 25,449 | B. Frank Murphy: 41,572 | Jacob S. Coxey Sr.: 5,907 |
| 1924 | James M. Barton: 26,656 | B. Frank Murphy: 56,206 | Charles Coleman: 1,931 |
| 1926 | John F. Nolan: 19,341 | B. Frank Murphy: 36,599 | [ none ] |
| 1928 | John J. Whitacre: 31,422 | B. Frank Murphy: 71,378 | Frank Sepech (W): 317 Jacob S. Coxey Sr. (S): 2 |
| 1930 | Emerson Campbell: 30,815 | B. Frank Murphy: 47,096 | [ none ] |
| 1932 | Lawrence E. Imhoff: 56,562 | B. Frank Murphy: 56,010 | [ none ] |
| 1934 | Lawrence E. Imhoff: 49,160 | B. Frank Murphy: 39,642 | [ none ] |
| 1936 | Lawrence E. Imhoff: 83,052 | Earl R. Lewis: 54,119 | [ none ] |
| 1938 | Lawrence E. Imhoff: 55,809 | Earl R. Lewis: 56,468 | [ none ] |
| 1940 | Lawrence E. Imhoff: 79,718 | Earl R. Lewis: 66,666 | [ none ] |
| 1942 | Lawrence E. Imhoff: 37,951 | Earl R. Lewis: 43,279 | [ none ] |
| 1944 | Ross Michener: 63,098 | Earl R. Lewis: 65,847 | [ none ] |
| 1946 | Eugene A. Blum: 38,606 | Earl R. Lewis: 55,140 | [ none ] |
| 1948 | Wayne Hays: 65,475 | Earl R. Lewis: 55,455 | [ none ] |
| 1950 | Wayne Hays: 58,295 | Robert L. Quinn: 56,508 | [ none ] |
| 1952 | Wayne Hays: 78,277 | Clarence L. Wetzel: 62,081 | [ none ] |
| 1954 | Wayne Hays: 59,165 | Walter J. Hunston: 44,143 | [ none ] |
| 1956 | Wayne Hays: 78,962 | Joseph Miller: 53,627 | [ none ] |
| 1958 | Wayne Hays: 88,813 | Francis Wallace: 35,322 | [ none ] |
| 1960 | Wayne Hays: 96,474 | Walter J. Hunston: 50,698 | [ none ] |
| 1962 | Wayne Hays: 66,327 | John J. Carrigg: 42,336 | [ none ] |
| 1964 | Wayne Hays: 94,768 | Allen J. Dalrymple: 42,960 | [ none ] |
| 1966 | Wayne Hays: 73,657 | William H. Weir: 41,165 | [ none ] |
| 1968 | Wayne Hays: 96,711 | James F. Sutherland: 63,747 | [ none ] |
| 1970 | Wayne Hays: 82,071 | Robert Stewart: 38,104 | [ none ] |
| 1972 | Wayne Hays: 128,663 | Robert Stewart: 54,572 | [ none ] |
| 1974 | Wayne Hays: 90,447 | Ralph H. Romig: 47,385 | [ none ] |
| 1976 | Douglas Applegate*: 116,901 | Ralph R. McCoy: 45,735 | William Crabbe: 21,537 John Dwight Bashline: 1,661 |
| 1978 | Douglas Applegate: 71,894 | William J. Ress: 48,931 | [ none ] |
| 1980 | Douglas Applegate: 134,835 | Gary L. Hammersley: 42,354 | [ none ] |
| 1982 | Douglas Applegate: 128,665 | [ none ] | [ none ] |
| 1984 | Douglas Applegate: 155,759 | Kenneth P. Burt Jr.: 49,356 | [ none ] |
| 1986 | Douglas Applegate: 126,526 | [ none ] | [ none ] |
| 1988 | Douglas Applegate: 151,306 | William C. Abraham: 43,628 | [ none ] |
| 1990 | Douglas Applegate: 120,782 | John A. Hales: 41,823 | [ none ] |
| 1992 | Douglas Applegate: 166,189 | Bill Ress: 77,229 | [ none ] |
| 1994 | Gregory L. DiDonato: 87,926 | Bob Ney: 103,115 | [ none ] |
| 1996 | Robert L. Burch Jr.: 108,332 | Bob Ney: 117,365 | Margaret Chitti (N): 8,146 |
| 1998 | Robert L. Burch Jr.: 74,571 | Bob Ney: 113,119 | [ none ] |
| 2000 | Marc D. Guthrie: 79,232 | Bob Ney: 152,325 | John R. Bargar Sr. (L): 4,948 |
| 2002 | [ none ] | Bob Ney: 125,546 | [ none ] |
| 2004 | Brian R. Thomas: 88,560 | Bob Ney: 173,499 | [ none ] |
| 2006 | Zack Space: 119,494 | Joy Padgett: 74,475 | [ none ] |
| 2008 | Zack Space: 154,396 | Fred L. Dailey: 103,681 | [ none ] |
| 2010 | Zack Space: 80,756 | Bob Gibbs: 107,426 | Lindsey Sutton: 11,244 |

### 2006 election

Padgett had won a special primary held on September 14, 2006. The rest of the Republican primary field included Holmes County Commissioner Ray Feikert; Jerry Firman of Coshocton; James Brodbelt Harris of Muskingum County; and Ralph Applegate of Columbus. When he announced his withdrawal from the race, Ney identified Padgett as his favored successor. Two other Republican candidates, Dover mayor Richard Homrighausen and Ney aide John Bennett, withdrew from the race. Candidate Greg Zelenitz was rejected by the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections.