Ohio House Republicans select Sen. Matt Huffman as Speaker – The Cauldron
Photo Credit: Ohio Senate
Ohio Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) has been unanimously selected by House Republicans to lead as House Speaker for the next two years. Current House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) announced prior to the vote that he would not be seeking reelection in the role.
Huffman’s leadership will be vastly different from Stephen’s, setting the stage for potentially big changes in Ohio’s House.
“I look forward to the new leadership teams from the House and Senate working together to make this the most effective and efficient Ohio General Assembly in decades,” Huffman shared with reporters on Nov. 22. “We’re going to start fresh in January of ‘25. There are several things I want to present to the caucus as changes as to how the House would operate – and we need a whole number of things, basically things that I’ve done here in the Senate.”
He elaborated more on the issues he’d like to pursue as House Speaker.
“I certainly have my own issues or things that I’d like to do — you all know what those are: school choice, reform of higher education, professional licensure reform, a whole number of tax reform items,” Huffman said. “It’s going to be an exciting, exciting time for me in the House.”
When it comes to the economy, Huffman wants to eliminate income tax, a move that could double the current sales tax. He also wants to crack down on unions.
In education, he plans on reforming higher education to stamp out “liberal bias” in colleges and universities. His support for the controversial Senate Bill 83, the higher education overhaul bill sponsored by Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), highlights this.
Stephen’s Resignation
Having been Huffman’s biggest opponent for the role, Stephen’s resignation ultimately changed the tides of the selection. His decision followed two years of Republican infighting and a year-long back and forth between Stephens and Huffman.
Stephen’s leadership position came with deep opposition, both between the House and the Senate, and within his own party. Since his election as speaker in 2022, his moderate approach has constantly been challenged by House Republicans, led by Huffman.
The two seem to disagree on everything, including public school funding, budget spending, protecting unions and most relevant of all, Stephen’s leadership.
While the House Republican caucus had chosen Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) for Speaker two years ago, Stephen’s moderate views appealed to both Democrats and center-leaning Republicans, earning him his victory.
“I think that it’s very, very difficult to lead and legislate when he was elected in the manner that he was,” Huffman said when asked for his opinion on Stephen. “I think if you’re going to get elected that way, then it’s difficult to say ‘I’m also the leader of the Republican caucus.’”