Ohio held its general election on November 8, 2016, deciding 115 legislative seats. No chamber changed party control.
Highlights
- Republicans, who already held more than three-fifths of the seats in both chambers, added one seat in each. The new 24-9 Senate was the largest Republican majority in that chamber's history, and the 66-33 House gave them a two-thirds majority.
- The Senate gain came in eastern Ohio, where Frank Hoagland (R), a retired Navy SEAL from Mingo Junction, unseated Lou Gentile (D) by about 6 points in Senate District 30. Gentile was the only legislative incumbent to lose in November. Hoagland said voters wanted change and pledged to cut regulations and "put smoke back in the air."
- The House pickup was an open seat Democrat Debbie Phillips had held: Jay Edwards (R) beat Sarah H. Grace (D) by about 16 points in House District 94. No legislative race was decided by less than two points, and of the 115 legislative races, 28 had only one candidate on the ballot. After the election, Senate Republicans chose Larry Obhof to succeed the term-limited Keith Faber as Senate president.
Legislature
- House (99 seats): 34 D, 65 R before the election, 33 D, 66 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (33 seats): 10 D, 23 R before the election, 9 D, 24 R after; control stayed with Republicans.