Gavel in front of the Ohio Supreme Court. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Only repost photo with the original article.)
Former Franklin County Superior Court Judge Colleen O’Donnell defeated a four-person Republican primary to win the party’s nomination, cementing a general election race against Ohio Democratic Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner.
Races for the state’s top judicial seats have become clearly partisan as Republican state lawmakers added party labels to races starting in 2022. Brunner is currently the only Democratic judge on the 6-1 Republican court.
O’Donnell said she was “humbled” by the election results.
“This is not only a victory for my campaign team, but for all Ohioans who support law and order, public safety and fair, consistent court decisions,” she said in a statement delayed Tuesday evening.
In addition to his work in the Franklin County courts, O’Donnell also previously worked in the Ohio Attorney General’s office. She also served on the Ohio Public Service Commission and most recently as a federal immigration judge in Laredo, Texas.
O’Donnell came out on top after a tight race with Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Andrew King. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jill Flagg Lanzinger and Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Ron Lewis also participated in the vote Tuesday.
The May primary included judges’ party affiliations after state lawmakers decided to add those labels in 2022.
O’Donnell won and for incumbent Republican Justice Dan Hawkins in the November 3 general election, the full Republican Supreme Court of Ohio would be established 7-0.
Hawkins appears before First District Court of Appeals Judge Marilyn Zayas to defend his seat.
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