# Ohio's 12th congressional district

Ohio's 12th congressional district is a United States congressional district in central Ohio, covering Athens County, Coshocton County, Fairfield County, Guernsey County, Knox County, Licking County, Morgan County, Muskingum County and Perry County along with parts of Delaware, Holmes and Tuscarawas counties. The district includes communities east of Columbus including Zanesville, Cambridge, and Mount Vernon. It is currently represented by Troy Balderson, a member of the Republican Party. Balderson took office following a special election held on August 7, 2018, to replace Rep. Pat Tiberi, who had resigned on January 15, 2018. Balderson was then re-elected in the 2018 general election two months later.
From 2003 to 2013 the district included eastern Columbus, including most of its heavily African-American neighborhoods. The district also took in most of its northern suburbs, including Westerville. It was one of two districts that split the state's capital city, the other being the 15th District. For most of the time from the 1980s to the 2000s, it was considered to be less Republican than the 15th, in part due to its large black population. However, redistricting after the 2010 census drew nearly all of the 15th's black constituents into the 3rd District, while the 15th was pushed into more exurban and Republican areas north and east of the capital.
It has been in Republican hands since 1920, except for an eight-year stretch in the 1930s and a two-year term in 1980 where the Democratic Party held the seat; in both instances the Democratic incumbent was later defeated by a GOP challenger. In the 2004 presidential election George W. Bush narrowly won the district against John Kerry, 51% to 49%. However, in the 2008 presidential election, Democratic candidate Barack Obama won the 12th district by a margin of 53% to 46%. After the 2011 redistricting cycle, the district has since been won in larger margins by Republican presidential candidates.
In the 2018 special election, Balderson was endorsed by prominent Republicans including President Donald Trump, Governor of Ohio John Kasich (who represented the 12th from 1983 to 2001), and former Rep. Tiberi. The Democratic candidate was Danny O'Connor. The winner was not immediately clear following the unexpectedly competitive August 7 election. Only on August 24 was Balderson officially declared the winner of the special election, which witnessed a significant swing away from the Republican Party as Balderson won with a margin of less than 1%, while fellow Republican Trump had carried the district by 11% in the 2016 presidential election. In 2020 the district swung heavily back to the Republicans as Balderson won by over 14%.

## Recent election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2008 | President | McCain 54% - 43% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 56% - 44% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 62% - 33% |
| 2016 | Senate | Portman 67% - 29% |
| 2018 | Senate | Renacci 56% - 44% |
| 2018 | Governor | DeWine 60% - 37% |
| 2018 | Attorney General | Yost 63% - 37% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 65% - 34% |
| 2022 | Senate | Vance 63% - 37% |
| 2022 | Governor | DeWine 72% - 28% |
| 2022 | Secretary of State | LaRose 70% - 30% |
| 2022 | Treasurer | Sprague 69% - 31% |
| 2022 | Auditor | Faber 69% - 31% |
| 2022 | Attorney General | Yost 71% - 29% |
| 2024 | President | Trump 66% - 33% |
| 2024 | Senate | Moreno 60% - 36% |

## Composition

For the 118th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2020 census), the district contains all or portions of the following counties, townships, and municipalities:
Athens County (24)
    All 24 townships and municipalities
Coshocton, County (28)
    All 28 townships and municipalities
Delaware County (9)
    Berkshire Township, Galena, Genoa Township, Harlem Township, Kingston Township, Porter Township, Sunbury, Trenton Township, Westerville (part; also 4th)
Fairfield County (31)
    All 31 townships and municipalities
Guernsey County (28)
    All 31 townships and municipalities
Holmes County (14)
    Baltic (shared with Tuscarawas County), Berlin Township, Glenmont, Hardy Township, Killbuck, Killbuck Township, Knox Township, Mechanic Township, Millersburg, Monroe Township, Paint Township, Richland Township, Salt Creek Township (part; also 7th), Walnut Creek Township
Knox County (30)
    All 30 townships and municipalities
Morgan County (18)
    All 18 townships and municipalities
Muskingum County (36)
    All 36 townships and municipalities
Licking County (41)
    All 41 townships and municipalities
Perry County (26)
    All 26 townships and municipalities
Tuscarawas County (20)
    Auburn Township, Baltic (shared with Holmes County), Bucks Township, Clay Township, Dover Township, Franklin Township, Gnadenhutten, Jefferson Township, Newcomerstown, Oxford Township, Perry Township, Port Washington, Rush Township, Salem Township, Stone Creek, Strasburg, Sugarcreek, Sugar Creek Township, Washington Township, Wayne Township

## List of members representing the district

| Member | Party | Year(s) | Cong ress | Electoral history |
| District established March 4, 1823 |||||
| John Sloane (Wooster) | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 3, 1825 | 18th 19th 20th | Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election. |
| John Sloane (Wooster) | Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1829 | 18th 19th 20th | Redistricted from the 6th district and re-elected in 1822. Re-elected in 1824. Re-elected in 1826. Lost re-election. |
| John Thomson (New Lisbon) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1833 | 21st 22nd | Elected in 1828. Re-elected in 1830. Redistricted to the 17th district. |
| Robert Mitchell (Zanesville) | Jacksonian | March 4, 1833 – March 3, 1835 | 23rd | Elected in 1832. [data missing] |
| Elias Howell (Newark) | Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 | 24th | Elected in 1834. [data missing] |
| Alexander Harper (Zanesville) | Whig | March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1839 | 25th | Elected in 1836. [data missing] |
| Jonathan Taylor (Newark) | Democratic | March 4, 1839 – March 3, 1841 | 26th | Elected in 1838. [data missing] |
| Joshua Mathiot (Newark) | Whig | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1843 | 27th | Elected in 1840. [data missing] |
| Samuel Finley Vinton (Gallipolis) | Whig | March 4, 1843 – March 3, 1851 | 28th 29th 30th 31st | Elected in 1843. Re-elected in 1844. Re-elected in 1846. Re-elected in 1848. [data missing] |
| John Welch (Athens) | Whig | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1853 | 32nd | Elected in 1850. [data missing] |
| Edson B. Olds (Circleville) | Democratic | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855 | 33rd | Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1852. [data missing] |
| Samuel Galloway (Columbus) | Opposition | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1857 | 34th | Elected in 1854. [data missing] |
| Samuel S. Cox (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1863 | 35th 36th 37th | Elected in 1856. Re-elected in 1858. Re-elected in 1860. Redistricted to the 7th district. |
| William E. Finck (Somerset) | Democratic | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1867 | 38th 39th | Elected in 1862. Re-elected in 1864. [data missing] |
| Philadelph Van Trump (Lancaster) | Democratic | March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873 | 40th 41st 42nd | Elected in 1866. Re-elected in 1868. Re-elected in 1870. [data missing] |
| Hugh J. Jewett (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1873 – June 23, 1874 | 43rd | Elected in 1872. Resigned to become President of the Erie Railroad. |
| Vacant | Vacant | June 23, 1874 – December 7, 1874 | 43rd | |
| William E. Finck (Somerset) | Democratic | December 7, 1874 – March 3, 1875 | 43rd | Elected to finish Jewett's term. [data missing] |
| Ansel T. Walling (Circleville) | Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1877 | 44th | Elected in 1874. [data missing] |
| Thomas Ewing Jr. (Lancaster) | Democratic | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1879 | 45th | Elected in 1876. Redistricted to the 10th district. |
| Henry S. Neal (Ironton) | Republican | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 | 46th | Redistricted from the 11th district and re-elected in 1878. Redistricted to the 11th district. |
| George L. Converse (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1883 | 47th | Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1880. Redistricted to the 13th district. |
| Alphonso Hart (Hillsboro) | Republican | March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 | 48th | Elected in 1882. [data missing] |
| Albert C. Thompson (Portsmouth) | Republican | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1887 | 49th | Elected in 1884. Redistricted to the 11th district. |
| Jacob J. Pugsley (Hillsboro) | Republican | March 4, 1887 – March 3, 1891 | 50th 51st | Elected in 1886. Re-elected in 1888. [data missing] |
| William H. Enochs (Ironton) | Republican | March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | 52nd | Elected in 1890. Redistricted to the 10th district. |
| Joseph H. Outhwaite (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1895 | 53rd | Redistricted from the 9th district and re-elected in 1892. [data missing] |
| David K. Watson (Columbus) | Republican | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897 | 54th | Elected in 1894. [data missing] |
| John J. Lentz (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1901 | 55th 56th | Elected in 1896. Re-elected in 1898. [data missing] |
| Emmett Tompkins (Columbus) | Republican | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1903 | 57th | Elected in 1900. [data missing] |
| De Witt C. Badger (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1905 | 58th | Elected in 1902. [data missing] |
| Edward L. Taylor Jr. (Columbus) | Republican | March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1913 | 59th 60th 61st 62nd | Elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1906. Re-elected in 1908. Re-elected in 1910. [data missing] |
| Clement L. Brumbaugh (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1921 | 63rd 64th 65th 66th | Elected in 1912. Re-elected in 1914. Re-elected in 1916. Re-elected in 1918. Retired. |
| John C. Speaks (Columbus) | Republican | March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1931 | 67th 68th 69th 70th 71st | Elected in 1920. Re-elected in 1922. Re-elected in 1924. Re-elected in 1926. Re-elected in 1928. Lost re-election. |
| Arthur P. Lamneck (Columbus) | Democratic | March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1939 | 72nd 73rd 74th 75th | Elected in 1930. Re-elected in 1932. Re-elected in 1934. Re-elected in 1936. Lost re-election. |
| John M. Vorys (Columbus) | Republican | January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1959 | 76th 77th 78th 79th 80th 81st 82nd 83rd 84th 85th | Elected in 1938. Re-elected in 1940. Re-elected in 1942. Re-elected in 1944. Re-elected in 1946. Re-elected in 1948. Re-elected in 1950. Re-elected in 1952. Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1956. Retired. |
| Samuel L. Devine (Columbus) | Republican | January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1981 | 86th 87th 88th 89th 90th 91st 92nd 93rd 94th 95th 96th | 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. Re-elected in 1976. Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election. |
| Bob Shamansky (Columbus) | Democratic | January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983 | 97th | Elected in 1980. Lost re-election. |
| John Kasich (Westerville) | Republican | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 2001 | 98th 99th 100th 101st 102nd 103rd 104th 105th 106th | Elected in 1982. Re-elected in 1984. Re-elected in 1986. Re-elected in 1988. Re-elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Re-elected in 1994. Re-elected in 1996. Re-elected in 1998. Retired to run for U.S. President. |
| Pat Tiberi (Galena) | Republican | January 3, 2001 – January 15, 2018 | 107th 108th 109th 110th 111th 112th 113th 114th 115th | Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Re-elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Re-elected in 2012. Re-elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Resigned to lead the Ohio Business Roundtable. |
| Vacant | Vacant | January 15, 2018 – August 7, 2018 | 115th | |
| Troy Balderson (Zanesville) | Republican | August 7, 2018 – present | 115th 116th 117th 118th 119th | Elected to finish Tiberi's term. Re-elected in 2018. Re-elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |

## Recent election results

The following chart shows historic election results.
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Other |
| 1920 | Arthur P. Lamneck: 43,845 | √ John C. Speaks: 62,247 | Enoch B. Eubanks: 1,481 |
| 1922 | H. Sage Valentine: 37,875 | √ John C. Speaks (Incumbent): 47,265 | William Garminden (SL): 632 |
| 1924 | Lowry F. Sater: 41,291 | √ John C. Speaks (Incumbent): 58,705 | |
| 1926 | H. S. Atkinson: 31,724 | √ John C. Speaks (Incumbent): 41,119 | |
| 1928 | Carl H. Valentine: 50,216 | √ John C. Speaks (Incumbent): 82,574 | |
| 1930 | √ Arthur P. Lamneck: 59,330 | John C. Speaks (Incumbent): 43,840 | |
| 1932 | √ Arthur P. Lamneck (Incumbent): 63,135 | John C. Speaks: 62,704 | |
| 1934 | √ Arthur P. Lamneck (Incumbent): 63,396 | John C. Speaks: 50,386 | |
| 1936 | √ Arthur P. Lamneck (Incumbent): 88,222 | Grant P. Ward: 64,766 | |
| 1938 | Arthur P. Lamneck (Incumbent): 62,026 | √ Jonn M. Vorys: 64,409 | |
| 1940 | Arthur P. Lamneck: 87,115 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 91,767 | |
| 1942 | Arthur P. Lamneck: 40,290 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 56,558 | |
| 1944 | Forrest F. Smith: 82,503 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 97,856 | |
| 1946 | Arthur P. Lamneck: 45,779 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 74,691 | |
| 1948 | Robert M. Draper: 87,770 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 95,575 | |
| 1950 | John W. Guy: 65,860 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 117,396 | |
| 1952 | George T. Tarbutton: 81,665 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 134,693 | |
| 1954 | Jacob F. Myers: 59,210 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 94,585 | |
| 1956 | Walter J. Shapter Jr.: 79,597 | √ John M. Vorys (Incumbent): 128,682 | |
| 1958 | Walter J. Shapter Jr.: 84,470 | √ Samuel L. Devine: 100,684 | |
| 1960 | Richard E. Liming: 90,894 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 140,236 | |
| 1962 | Paul D. Cassidy: 60,563 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 130,316 | |
| 1964 | Robert L. Van Heyde: 118,299 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 146,971 | |
| 1966 | Bob Shamansky: 39,140 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 70,102 | |
| 1968 | Herbert J. Pfeifer: 51,202 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 106,664 | |
| 1970 | James W. Goodrich: 60,538 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 82,486 | |
| 1972 | James W. Goodrich: 81,074 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 103,655 | |
| 1974 | Francine Ryan: 70,818 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 73,303 | |
| 1976 | Francine Ryan: 89,424 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 90,987 | William Roger "Bill" Moss (I): 15,429 |
| 1978 | James L. Baumann: 61,698 | √ Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 81,573 | |
| 1980 | √ Bob Shamansky: 108,690 | Samuel L. Devine (Incumbent): 98,110 | |
| 1982 | Bob Shamansky (Incumbent): 82,753 | √ John Kasich: 88,335 | Russell A. Lewis (L): 3,939 |
| 1984 | Richard S. Sloan: 65,215 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 148,899 | |
| 1986 | Timothy C. Jochim: 42,727 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 117,905 | |
| 1988 | Mark P. Brown: 50,782 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 204,892 | |
| 1990 | Mike Gelpi: 50,784 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 130,495 | |
| 1992 | Bob Fitrakis: 68,761 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 170,297 | |
| 1994 | Cynthia L. Ruccia: 57,294 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 114,608 | |
| 1996 | Cynthia L. Ruccia: 78,762 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 151,667 | Barbara Ann Edelman (N): 7,005 |
| 1998 | Edward S. Brown: 60,694 | √ John Kasich (Incumbent): 124,197 | |
| 2000 | Maryellen O'Shaughnessy: 115,432 | √ Pat Tiberi: 139,242 | Charles Ed Jordan: 1,566 Nick Hogan (L): 4,546 Gregory B. Richey (N): 2,600 |
| 2002 | Edward S. Brown: 64,707 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 116,982 | |
| 2004 | Edward S. Brown: 122,109 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 198,912 | |
| 2006 | Robert N. Shamansky: 126,573 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 198,723 | |
| 2008 | David Robinson: 152,234 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 197,447 | Steven Linnabary (L): 10,707 |
| 2010 | Paula Brooks: 110,307 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 150,163 | Travis Irvine (L): 8,710 |
| 2012 | Jim Reese: 134,614 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 233,874 | |
| 2014 | David Tibbs: 61,360 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 150,573 | Bob Hart (G): 9,148 |
| 2016 | Ed Albertson: 112,638 | √ Pat Tiberi (Incumbent): 251,266 | Joe Manchik (G): 13,474 Write-in: 156 |
| 2018 (Special) | Danny O'Connor: 102,648 | √ Troy Balderson: 104,328 | Joe Manchik (G): 1,165 |
| 2018 | Danny O'Connor: 161,251 | √ Troy Balderson (Incumbent): 175,677 | Joe Manchik (G): 4,718 Write-in: 71 |
| 2020 | Alaina Shearer: 182,847 | √ Troy Balderson (Incumbent): 241,790 | John S. Stewart (L): 13,035 |
| 2022 | Amy Rippel-Elton: 84,893 | √ Troy Balderson (Incumbent): 191,344 | |
| 2024 | Jerrad Christian: 119,738 | √ Troy Balderson (Incumbent): 260,450 |