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Mostly Good News For Ohio GOP, Mostly Bad News For Democrats In 2020 Vote

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Election Night 2020 was a bad night for Democrats and brought wins for Republicans on Ohio’s Capitol Square. But there were two races with a split decision.

The Ohio Statehouse building
[Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau]
In unofficial results reported by the Secretary of State’s office, Democrat Jennifer Brunner beat Republican Justice Judi French, giving Democrats three seats on the Ohio Supreme Court for the first time since 1993. Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy won the other race, defeating Democrat John O’Donnell.

Republicans who lost five Ohio House districts overall in 2018 could pick up three this time – winning two Democratic seats that were open, and late results show Republican Mike Loychik beating incumbent Gil Blair of Niles, in an area that went solidly for President Trump in 2016. Trump’s performance in the Mahoning Valley was even stronger this time, as he won Mahoning County, which Hillary Clinton won four years ago.

And in the Senate, incumbent Democrat Sean O’Brien lost to Republican Sandra O’Brien. She had run for treasurer in 2018, but lost in the GOP primary to Robert Sprague. She challenged Jon Husted in the Republican primary for Secretary of State in 2010.

With that win, Republicans now dominate in the Senate 25-8. The GOP’s supermajority strengthens in the House with 64 Republicans and 35 Democrats.