# 126th Ohio General Assembly

The One Hundred Twenty-sixth Ohio General Assembly was the legislative body of the state of Ohio in 2005 and 2006. In this General Assembly, both the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives were controlled by the Republican Party. In the Senate, there were 22 Republicans and 11 Democrats. In the House, there were 60 Republicans and 39 Democrats.

## Major events
### Vacancies

* December 1, 2005: Senator Mark Mallory (D-9th) resigns to become Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio.
* August 25, 2005: Representative Merle G. Kearns (R-72nd) resigns to take a position in the cabinet of Governor Bob Taft.
* February 28, 2006: Senator Dan Brady (D-23rd) resigns.
* February 28, 2006: Representative Dale Miller (D-14th) resigns to take a seat in the Ohio Senate.
* May 25, 2006: Representative Kathleen Walcher Reed (R-58th) resigns.
* July 27, 2006: Representative Dixie Allen (D-39th) resigns to become Montgomery County, Ohio Commissioner
* December 31, 2006: Senator Jim Jordan (R-12th) resigns to take a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
* December 31, 2006: Senator Charlie Wilson (D-30th) resigns to take a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
* December 31, 2006: Senator Marc Dann (D-32nd) resigns to become Ohio Attorney General.

### Appointments

* October 5, 2005: Ross McGregor appointed as Representative of the 72nd District, succeeding Merle G. Kearns.
* December 6, 2005: Eric Kearney appointed as Senator of the 9th District, succeeding Mark Mallory.
* March 1, 2006: Dale Miller appointed as Senator of the 23rd District, succeeding Dan Brady.
* May 25, 2006: Mike Foley appointed as Representative to the 14th District, succeeding Dale Miller.
* May 25, 2006: Dan White appointed as Representative to the 58th District, succeeding Kathleen Walcher Reed.
* November 14, 2006: Clayton Luckie appointed as Representative of the 39th District, succeeding Dixie Allen.

### Leadership changes

* August 25, 2005: Resignation of Merle G. Kearns as Majority Floor Leader corresponding with resignation.
* January 15, 2006: Resignation of Chris Redfern as Minority Leader; Joyce Beatty subsequently made Minority Leader, and Todd Book Assistant Minority Leader.
* March 31, 2006: Lance Mason resigns as Assistant Minority Whip; Fred Strahorn is selected to replace him.

## Senate

| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| Affiliation | Republican | Democratic | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous legislature | 22 | 11 | 33 | 0 |
| Begin | 22 | 11 | 33 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 66.6% | 34.4% | | |

### Leadership
#### Majority leadership

* President of the Senate: Bill Harris
* President pro tempore of the Senate: Jeff Jacobson
* Floor Leader: Randy Gardner
* Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Robert Spada
* Whip: Steve Austria
* Assistant Majority Whip: Jay Hottinger

#### Minority leadership

* Leader: C.J. Prentiss
* Assistant Leader: Mark Mallory
* Whip: Teresa Fedor
* Assistant Whip: Bob Hagan

### Members of the 126th Ohio Senate

| District | Senator | Party | First elected |
| 1 | Lynn Wachtmann | Republican | 1998 |
| 2 | Randy Gardner | Republican | 2000 |
| 3 | David Goodman | Republican | 2001 (Appt.) |
| 4 | Gary Cates | Republican | 2004 |
| 5 | Tom Roberts | Democratic | 2002 (Appt.) |
| 6 | Jeff Jacobson | Republican | 2000 |
| 7 | Robert Schuler | Republican | 2002 |
| 8 | Patricia Clancy | Republican | 2004 |
| 9 | Eric Kearney | Democratic | 2005 (Appt.) |
| 10 | Steve Austria | Republican | 2000 |
| 11 | Teresa Fedor | Democratic | 2002 |
| 12 | Jim Jordan | Republican | 2000 |
| 13 | Jeff Armbruster | Republican | 1998 |
| 14 | Tom Niehaus | Republican | 2004 |
| 15 | Ray Miller | Democratic | 2002 |
| 16 | Steve Stivers | Republican | 2003 (Appt.) |
| 17 | John Carey | Republican | 2002 |
| 18 | Timothy Grendell | Republican | 2004 |
| 19 | Bill Harris | Republican | 2000 (Appt.) |
| 20 | Joy Padgett | Republican | 2004 (Appt.) |
| 21 | C.J. Prentiss | Democratic | 1998 |
| 22 | Ron Amstutz | Republican | 2000 |
| 23 | Dale Miller | Democratic | 2006 (Appt.) |
| 24 | Robert Spada | Republican | 1999 (Appt.) |
| 25 | Eric Fingerhut | Democratic | 1998 |
| 26 | Larry Mumper | Republican | 1997 (Appt.) |
| 27 | Kevin Coughlin | Republican | 2001 (Appt.) |
| 28 | Kimberly Zurz | Democratic | 2003 (Appt.) |
| 29 | Kirk Schuring | Republican | 2002 |
| 30 | Charlie Wilson | Democratic | 2004 |
| 31 | Jay Hottinger | Republican | 1998 (Appt.) |
| 32 | Marc Dann | Democratic | 2003 (Appt.) |
| 33 | Bob Hagan | Democratic | 1997 (Appt.) |

## House of Representatives
### Composition

| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus) | Total | |
| Affiliation | Democratic | Republican | Total | Vacant |
| End of previous legislature | 39 | 60 | 99 | 0 |
| Begin | 39 | 60 | 99 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 39.9% | 60.1% | | |

### Leadership
#### Majority leadership

* Speaker of the House: Jon Husted
* Speaker Pro Tempore of the House: Chuck Blasdel
* Floor Leader: Merle G. Kearns (January 6, 2005 – August 25, 2005)
* Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Larry L. Flowers
* Majority Whip: Kevin DeWine
* Assistant Majority Whip: Jim Carmichael

#### Minority leadership

* Leader: Chris Redfern (January 6, 2005 – January 15, 2006), Joyce Beatty (January 15, 2006, December 31, 2006)
* Assistant Leader: Joyce Beatty (January 6, 2005 – January 15, 2006), Todd Book (January 15, 2006-)
* Whip: Steve Driehaus
* Assistant Whip: Lance Mason

### Members of the 126th Ohio House of Representatives

| District | Representative | Party | First Elected |
| 1 | Chuck Blasdel | Republican | 2000 |
| 2 | Jon Peterson | Republican | 2000 |
| 3 | Jim Carmichael | Republican | 2000 |
| 4 | John R. Willamowski | Republican | 1997 (Appt.) |
| 5 | Tim Schaffer | Republican | 2000 |
| 6 | Bob Latta | Republican | 2000 |
| 7 | Kenny Yuko | Democratic | 2004 |
| 8 | Lance Mason | Democratic | 2002 (Appt.) |
| 9 | Claudette Woodard | Democratic | 2000 |
| 10 | Shirley Smith | Democratic | 1998 |
| 11 | Annie L. Key | Democratic | 2000 |
| 12 | Michael DeBose | Democratic | 2002 (Appt.) |
| 13 | Michael J. Skindell | Democratic | 2002 |
| 14 | Michael Foley | Democratic | 2006 (Appt.) |
| 15 | Timothy J. DeGeeter | Democratic | 2003 (Appt.) |
| 16 | Sally Conway Kilbane | Republican | 1998 |
| 17 | Jim Trakas | Republican | 1998 |
| 18 | Tom Patton | Republican | 2002 |
| 19 | Larry L. Flowers | Republican | 2000 |
| 20 | Jim McGregor | Republican | 2001 (Appt.) |
| 21 | Linda Reidelbach | Republican | 2000 |
| 22 | Jim Hughes | Republican | 2000 |
| 23 | Larry Wolpert | Republican | 2000 |
| 24 | Geoffrey C. Smith | Republican | 1998 |
| 25 | Dan Stewart | Democratic | 2002 |
| 26 | Mike Mitchell | Democratic | 2004 |
| 27 | Joyce Beatty | Democratic | 1999 (Appt.) |
| 28 | Jim Raussen | Republican | 2002 |
| 29 | Lou Blessing | Republican | 2004 |
| 30 | Bill Seitz | Republican | 2000 |
| 31 | Steve Driehaus | Democratic | 2000 |
| 32 | Catherine L. Barrett | Democratic | 1998 |
| 33 | Tyrone Yates | Democratic | 2002 |
| 34 | Tom Brinkman Jr. | Republican | 2000 |
| 35 | Michelle G. Schneider | Republican | 2000 |
| 36 | Arlene Setzer | Republican | 2000 |
| 37 | Jon Husted | Republican | 2000 |
| 38 | John White | Republican | 2000 |
| 39 | Clayton Luckie | Democratic | 2006 (Appt.) |
| 40 | Fred Strahorn | Democratic | 2000 |
| 41 | Brian Williams | Democratic | 2004 |
| 42 | John Widowfield | Republican | 2001 (Appt.) |
| 43 | Mary Taylor | Republican | 2002 |
| 44 | Barbara Sykes | Democratic | 2000 |
| 45 | Robert J. Otterman | Democratic | 2000 |
| 46 | Mark Wagoner | Republican | 2004 |
| 47 | Peter Ujvagi | Democratic | 2002 |
| 48 | Edna Brown | Democratic | 2001 (Appt.) |
| 49 | Jeanine Perry | Democratic | 1998 |
| 50 | John Hagan | Republican | 2000 |
| 51 | Scott Oelslager | Republican | 2002 |
| 52 | William J. Healy II | Democratic | 2004 |
| 53 | Shawn Webster | Republican | 2000 |
| 54 | Courtney Combs | Republican | 2004 (Appt.) |
| 55 | Bill Coley | Republican | 2004 |
| 56 | Joseph Koziura | Democratic | 2001 (Appt.) |
| 57 | Earl Martin | Republican | 2003 (Appt.) |
| 58 | Dan White | Republican | 2006 (Appt.) |
| 59 | Kenneth Carano | Democratic | 2000 |
| 60 | Sylvester Patton | Democratic | 1997 (Appt.) |
| 61 | John Boccieri | Democratic | 2000 |
| 62 | Lorraine Fende | Democratic | 2004 |
| 63 | Timothy J. Cassell | Democratic | 2004 |
| 64 | Randy Law | Republican | 2004 |
| 65 | Sandra Harwood | Democratic | 2002 |
| 66 | Joe Uecker | Republican | 2004 |
| 67 | Tom Raga | Republican | 2000 |
| 68 | Kathleen Chandler | Democratic | 2002 |
| 69 | Chuck Calvert | Republican | 1998 |
| 70 | Kevin DeWine | Republican | 2000 |
| 71 | David R. Evans | Republican | 1998 (Appt.) |
| 72 | Ross McGregor | Republican | 2005 (Appt.) |
| 73 | William J. Hartnett | Democratic | 1998 (Appt.) |
| 74 | Steve Buehrer | Republican | 1998 |
| 75 | Jim Hoops | Republican | 1998 |
| 76 | Mike Gilb | Republican | 2000 |
| 77 | Keith Faber | Republican | 2000 |
| 78 | Derrick Seaver | Republican | 2000 |
| 79 | Diana Fessler | Republican | 2000 |
| 80 | Chris Redfern | Democratic | 1999 (Appt.) |
| 81 | Jeff Wagner | Republican | 2002 |
| 82 | Steve Reinhard | Republican | 2000 |
| 83 | Tony Core | Republican | 2000 |
| 84 | Chris Widener | Republican | 2002 |
| 85 | John M. Schlichter | Republican | 2002 |
| 86 | David T. Daniels | Republican | 2002 |
| 87 | Clyde Evans | Republican | 2002 |
| 88 | Danny Bubp | Republican | 2004 |
| 89 | Todd Book | Democratic | 2002 |
| 90 | Thom Collier | Republican | 2000 (Appt.) |
| 91 | Ron Hood | Republican | 2004 |
| 92 | Jimmy Stewart | Republican | 2002 |
| 93 | Jennifer Garrison | Democratic | 2004 |
| 94 | Jim Aslanides | Republican | 2000 |
| 95 | John Domenick | Democratic | 2002 |
| 96 | Allan Sayre | Democratic | 2004 |
| 97 | Bob Gibbs | Republican | 2002 |
| 98 | Matt Dolan | Republican | 2004 |
| 99 | George Distel | Democratic | 1999 (Appt.) |
Appt.- Member was appointed to current House Seat