Elected Officials
Statewide Republican Leadership
John Kasich, Governor
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Kasich was sworn in as Ohio’s 69th governor on January, 10, 2011. In his inaugural address he called on Ohioans to come together to make the Buckeye State stronger and more prosperous for all.
Kasich is no stranger to taking on and solving big problems. He served as a member of Congress from central Ohio for 18 years and, as the chairman of the House Budget Committee, he led the effort to balance the federal budget for the first time since 1969 and helped enact historic welfare reform.
After leaving Congress in 2000 and running for President, Kasich worked as a managing director in the Investment Banking Division of Lehman Brothers, where he helped companies secure the resources they needed to succeed and create jobs. He was also a commentator for FOX News and a Presidential Fellow at his alma mater, The Ohio State University.
Kasich is the author of three New York Times best-sellers: Courage is Contagious; Stand for Something: The Battle for America’s Soul; and Every Other Monday, which was published in 2010 and focuses on the importance of faith in making both everyday choices and life-changing decisions.
Known for being straightforward, optimistic and energetic, Kasich brings a commonsense, results-oriented focus to the Governor’s Office, and a commitment to balancing the budget without raising taxes.
Kasich, 59, is a 1974 graduate of The Ohio State University and lives in Westerville with his wife, Karen, and their twin daughters, Emma and Reese.
Mary Taylor, Lieutenant Governor
Taylor was sworn in as Ohio’s 65th Lieutenant Governor on January 10, 2011, the same day Governor John R. Kasich named her to lead CSI Ohio – the “Common Sense Initiative” to reform Ohio’s regulatory policies, as well as to serve as the director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. These two assignments dovetail together and provide the perfect launching pad for working to make Ohio a jobs – and business – friendly state. CSI Ohio will review Ohio’s regulatory system to eliminate excessive and duplicative rules that stand in the way of job creation and the regulatory mission of the Department of Insurance is a good place to start.
Both CSI and the Department of Insurance present unique challenges, but Taylor is no stranger to taking on tough assignments. As the first certified public accountant to serve as Auditor of State, Taylor transformed the office into a nationally-recognized, 21st-century government auditing firm. The National White Collar Crime Center praised Taylor for her excellence in fighting and preventing fraud and for recovering millions in misspent tax dollars. The Ohio Society of CPA’s called Taylor one of their “most influential” members.
As a state legislator, Taylor was instrumental in passing Ohio’s 2005 tax reform package that reduced personal income taxes by 21 percent. The measure also eliminated the tangible personal property tax, the corporate franchise tax and the inventory tax imposed on businesses. She was a member of the House Finance, Ways and Means, and Education committees and was recognized by the United Conservatives of Ohio as a “Watchdog of the Treasury.” The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s largest small-business group, also named Taylor a “Guardian of Small Business” for her outstanding voting record on behalf of Ohio’s small-business owners.
Taylor earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s degree in taxation from the University of Akron. She began her career in 1990 with Deloitte and Touche, one of the “big four” national accounting firms. She joined the Akron firm of Bober, Markey, Fedorovich & Company in 1994, where she served as director of the firm’s tax department and senior manager of the employee benefits practice.
Taylor, 44, is a life-long resident of northeast Ohio where she lives with her husband, Don, and their sons, Michael and Joe.
Rob Portman, United States Senator
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Rob Portman is a United States Senator from the state of Ohio. He was elected in 2010, running a campaign that focused on common-sense conservative ideas to help create jobs and get the deficit under control. Rob won with a margin of 57 to 39 percent, winning 82 of Ohio’s 88 counties.
Rob was born and raised in Cincinnati, where he lives today with his wife Jane, and their three children, Jed, Will and Sally. He grew up in a small business family, where he learned early on the value of hard work, leadership, and fiscal responsibility. When Rob was young, his dad, Bill Portman, borrowed money to start Portman Equipment Company, where Rob and his brother and sister all worked while growing up. His father, and then his brother, built the family business from a small forklift truck dealership with five employees, with Rob’s mom as the bookkeeper, to one that employed more than 300 people. Rob became a lawyer and developed his own private practice, representing Portman Equipment Company and other small businesses. In 1993, Rob was a partner in the Cincinnati law firm of Graydon, Head and Ritchey when he was elected to Congress, where he represented the diverse, seven county Second District in southern Ohio. He was proud to serve the Second District for twelve years, and in seven elections, he never received less than seventy percent of the vote.
During his time representing the Second District, Rob earned a reputation as a serious leader who focused on results. Rob was actively involved in crafting and promoting the historic welfare reform efforts as a member of the committee that wrote the legislation, and he was a forceful advocate of the balanced budget that passed in 1997. Rob gained the respect of both Republican and Democratic colleagues through his successful, bipartisan legislative initiatives, including several measures he authored to increase retirement savings, reform the IRS and add over fifty new taxpayer rights, curb unfunded mandates, reduce taxes, and expand drug prevention and land conservation efforts.
In 2005, Rob left Congress when he was asked to serve as the United States Trade Representative, the Cabinet-level official responsible for implementing and enforcing U.S. trade policy. In his one year in the job, Rob was successful in reducing barriers to U.S. exports and increasing enforcement of trade laws to help level the playing field for American farmers, workers and service providers. Under his leadership, American exports increased and the U.S. brought successful legal challenges against international trade law violations.
Following his accomplishments as Trade Representative, Rob was asked to serve in another Cabinet post, this time as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. A deficit hawk, Rob made his mark by proposing a balanced budget, fighting irresponsible earmarks, and putting in place new transparency measures for all federal spending.
Jon Husted, Secretary of State
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As Ohio’s 53rd Secretary of State, Jon Husted brings a strong record of leadership and a unique breadth of experience to the office. Husted was first elected to the legislature in 2000. In 2005 and again in 2007, Husted’s colleagues honored him by electing him Speaker of the Ohio House.
As speaker, Jon Husted was instrumental in passing an overhaul of the state tax system and the most fiscally conservative budget in 40 years. His philosophy then and now is that Ohio must invest its limited resources in areas that will grow the state economy, as well as keep taxes low and regulations in-check to be competitive for maintaining and attracting jobs. As the custodian of business filings, Secretary Husted is committed to ensuring an employer’s first interaction with the state of Ohio is positive – free from red tape and bureaucratic delays that cost time and profit.
In 2008, Husted was elected to continue his legislative work as a member of the Ohio Senate where he was a leading advocate for election, campaign finance and redistricting reform. Secretary Husted’s highest priority will be to work with local election boards to improve the overall administration of elections, ensuring a fair, transparent and efficient process in which all Ohio voters can be confident.
Raised in Northwest Ohio, Husted attended the University of Dayton (UD), where he earned All-American Defensive Back honors as a member of the 1989 Division III National Championship football team. After receiving his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UD, Husted stayed in the Dayton area and worked for the Montgomery County Commissioners and later as Vice President of Business and Economic Development at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce.
With all of his responsibilities, however, Secretary Husted considers his most important roles as that of husband to his wife Tina and father to his children, Alex, Katie and Kylie.
Dave Yost, Auditor of State
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A graduate of The Ohio State University, with a degree in journalism, Auditor Yost began his career as a young reporter with the former Columbus Citizen-Journal. He then served in senior positions with the administrations of Columbus Mayor Buck Rinehart and Ohio Governor George Voinovich.
After earning his degree in law at Capital University Law School in 1991, Auditor Yost became an attorney in private practice, a small business where he learned what it means to have capital risk and make a payroll.
In 1999, Auditor Yost was appointed to the Office of Delaware County Auditor and was subsequently elected to that office in 2000. As County Auditor, he returned thousands of dollars for local schools and county services by cracking down on those who abused tax incentives. In each of his four years in that office, Auditor Yost won the Auditor of State’s “Making Tax Dollars Count” Award as well as the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association.
Becoming Delaware County’s Prosecuting Attorney in 2003, Auditor Yost continued his distinguished career in public service in that office through 2010, winning acclaim for his vigorous prosecution of political corruption – not only in his home county but also in three other counties where he was called to serve as special prosecutor. He also won the first-ever capital verdict in Delaware County and prosecuted the largest drug ring in the county’s history.
In November 2010, Auditor Yost won statewide election as Ohio’s Auditor of State, an office in which he now pursues his mission to protect Ohioans’ tax dollars while aggressively fighting fraud, waste and misuse in public spending.
Auditor Yost and his wife, Darlene, make their home in Delaware County. They have three adult children and one grandchild.
Mike DeWine, Attorney General
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Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine started his career as a County Prosecutor. DeWine had seen violent offenders get off with light sentences. Out of that experience, he changed the law to add extra-time for those who use a gun to commit a crime. He continued to protect victims through his work in the U.S Congress, where he received numerous awards from victim rights organizations. And, as Ohio Lieutenant Governor, DeWine worked to reform our parole system so that violent offenders remained locked up.
“In the U.S. Senate, I promoted the emerging DNA technology, establishing and expanding a truly national database for DNA, fingerprint, and ballistics information, so that violent offenders — no matter where they traveled — could be caught and prosecuted.” DeWine specifically targeted funds to Ohio’s crime lab — the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation — to keep our families safer.
While others were on the sidelines, Mike DeWine has, for over 30 years, fought to protect the unborn. He was one of a handful of U.S. Senators to lead the charge to ban the horrific partial-birth abortion practice. DeWine wrote and pushed for passage of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which for the first time, created a federal law recognizing that an unborn child is a separate victim when the mother is attacked. And, he wrote the “DeWine Amendment” each Congress to prohibit federal tax dollars from being used to pay for insurance to provide abortion coverage.
Michael DeWine was born on January 5, 1947, in Springfield, Ohio, and grew up in Yellow Springs. He married his high school sweetheart Frances Struewing while both were students at Miami University. After graduating from Miami, DeWine attended Ohio Northern Law School, and was awarded his JD degree in 1972. The DeWines have resided in Cedarville Township since Mike graduated from law school. They attend St. Paul’s Catholic Church and are the parents of eight children: Patrick, Jill, Rebecca, John, Brian, Alice, Mark, and Anna. Fran and Mike are now the grandparents of 16 grandchildren.
Josh Mandel, Treasurer of State
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Josh Mandel was sworn in as the 48th Treasurer of the State of Ohio on January 10, 2011. Josh Mandel is a Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq and served as State Representative from the 17th Ohio House District.
During his four years in the General Assembly, Treasurer Mandel has devoted a great deal of energy towards the issues of fiscal discipline, improving the state’s business climate and reversing the exodus of young people from Ohio. Due to his leadership on these and other issues, Treasurer Mandel was named legislative “Rookie of the Year” by the non-partisan Columbus Monthly Magazine and “Watchdog of the Treasury” by the United Conservatives of Ohio.
Treasurer Mandel’s previous elected experience includes service as a Lyndhurst City Councilman, where he was elected in 2003 with more votes than any candidate for Council or Mayor. As Councilman, Treasurer Mandel served on the Finance Committee, dealing with issues including long-term fiscal forecasting, municipal investment strategy and bond-rating protections. Additionally, Treasurer Mandel introduced and led the fight for the first municipal property tax rollback in Lyndhurst history, which currently remains one of the only municipal property tax rollbacks in Ohio history.
Inspired by a strong sense of duty to country, Treasurer Mandel enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves in 2000, where he graduated first in his class from Marine Corps Boot Camp and first in his class from Marine Corps Intelligence School. His Marine Corps career spanned eight years, including two tours in Anbar Province, Iraq as an Intelligence Specialist. During both tours he was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal for “superior performance of his duties.”
Treasurer Mandel holds a Bachelor Degree from The Ohio State University, a Law Degree from Case Western Reserve University, and completed the Investment Decisions & Behavioral Finance program at Harvard University. Treasurer Mandel will protect and responsibly invest Ohioans hard-earned tax dollars and work on creative ways to fuel small business growth in Ohio. Through the use of technology, Treasurer Mandel is also committed to exploring new and innovative ways to make the Treasurer’s Office more streamlined and efficient. He and his wife Ilana reside in Lyndhurst, Ohio.
Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, The Supreme Court of Ohio
Born in the nation’s capital, but raised in Strongsville and Parma, Maureen O’Connor’s November 2010 election as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio is her latest achievement in a long career of public service. Following her previous seven years on the Court, Chief Justice O’Connor’s latest election victory makes her Ohio’s first female Chief Justice and only the tenth Chief Justice in the history of the Court.
While gaining experience in practice as an attorney during the early 1980s, Justice O’Connor created a home for her family and her legal career in Northeast Ohio. Appointed a magistrate in Summit County in 1985, she served in that capacity until becoming a common pleas court judge in 1993.
She became the Summit County prosecuting attorney in 1995, aggressively prosecuting repeat offenders, violent criminals and public officials who committed ethical violations or improprieties. She was recognized for her work on behalf of crime victims, and remains proud of awards bestowed on her by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and Cleveland State University. As prosecutor, Justice O’Connor also lobbied the General Assembly for tougher rape laws and mandatory jail time for gang-related offenses. Successful in her undertakings, she set her sights on more difficult challenges.
In 1998, Ohioans elected Justice O’Connor as their lieutenant governor — the second-highest official in the state. She quickly became the governor’s chief advisor on criminal-justice issues, serving as director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and as chair of Ohio’s Security Task Force and the State Building Security Review Committee. Justice O’Connor’s experiences in law enforcement proved invaluable, particularly in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, when she led the state in its response to new threats of terrorism. Her leadership in this area garnered the attention and praise of the country’s first homeland security director, Tom Ridge.
Like her previous election, Chief Justice O’Connor won election as Chief with more than 67 percent of the popular vote, nearly the same percentage earned in her 2008 general election victory. Her first statewide judicial election in 2002, in which she took more than 57 percent of the vote, made her the 148th Justice to the Court, the sixth woman to join the Court and gave the Court its first-ever female majority.
As a Supreme Court Justice, she devoted herself in recent years to educational initiatives for Ohio students and to matters of security, such as the Court’s new Advisory Committee on Court Security & Emergency Preparedness, which she chairs. As Chief Justice, she will be responsible for overseeing the not only the operations of the Supreme Court itself, but also has general superintendence over all state courts.
Associate Justices, The Supreme Court of Ohio
Justice Paul E. Pfeifer
Justice Judith French
Justice Terrence O’Donnell
Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger
Justice Sharon Kennedy
Ohio Senate
Senator Keith Faber, Senate President
Ohio House of Representatives
Representative William Batchelder, Speaker of the House
United States Congressmen
District 1 – Steve Chabot – view website
District 2 – Brad Wenstrup – view website
District 4 – Jim Jordan – view website
District 5 – Bob Latta – view website
District 6 – Bill Johnson – view website
District 7 – Bob Gibbs – view website
District 8 – John Boehner – view website
District 10 – Michael Turner – view website
District 12 – Rep. Patrick “Pat” Tiberi – view website
District 14 – Dave Joyce – view website
District 15 – Steve Stivers – view website
District 16 – Jim Renacci – view website
