Ohio House Republicans Thursday selcted Ryan Smith to remain as Speaker next session in a vote questioned by backers of his main rival.
Smith won 34 votes in a closed-door caucus meeting Thursday. He'll need 50 to prevail in a formal vote on January 7, the first day of the new session. Smith prevailed over former Speaker Larry Householder. Some Householder supporters opposed Thursday's vote on a technicality and boycotted it. The speakership contest has prompted months of tension. The Smith and Householder camps have jockeyed for control since Republican Cliff Rosenberger resigned in April amid an FBI probe of his activities with payday lending lobbyists.
