The election of Republican Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder caused a shakeup among minority House Democrats.
They’ve now selected a new leadership team, and for the first time women make up the majority. Ohio Public Radio's Karen Kasler reports.
Third-term Representative Emilia Sykes of Akron announced for Minority Leader right after Fred Strahorn resigned. Strahorn, who’d been leader for five years, had voted to retain Speaker Ryan Smith, while the majority of the Democratic caucus, including Sykes, backed Larry Householder for Speaker. Sykes says Democrats know they’re in the super-minority but still want to be respected.
“We don't expect that we are going to run the Ohio House of Representatives with the numbers the way that they are. But we do expect at the very least to be heard and listened to.”
Rounding out the leadership team are Kristin Boggs of Columbus, Kent Smith of Euclid and freshman Paula Hicks-Hudson, the former mayor of Toledo.
