2018 Ohio Senate election

The 2018 Ohio Senate election was held on November 6, 2018, with the primary election held on May 8, 2018. Ohio voters elected state senators in the 17 odd-numbered Ohio Senate districts. State senators elected in 2018 were eligible to serve a four-year term beginning January 2019 and ending December 2022. These elections coincided with elections for Ohio governor, the Ohio House, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and other statewide offices.

2018 Ohio Senate election

← 2016 November 6, 2018 (2018-11-06) 2020 →
17 seats from odd-numbered districts in the Ohio Senate 17 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	55.8% (15.1pp)[a]
Majority party Minority party   Leader Larry Obhof Kenny Yuko Party Republican Democratic Leader's seat District 22 District 25 Seats before 24 9 Seats after 24 9 Seat change Popular vote 1,032,867 1,145,439 Percentage 47.26% 52.41% Swing 7.17% 6.84%
Results      Democratic hold      Democratic gain      Republican hold      Republican gain      Not up for election
President of the Ohio Senate before election Larry Obhof Republican Elected President of the Ohio Senate Larry Obhof Republican

Despite a moderate statewide swing that allowed the Democrats to win the popular vote, the Republicans retained their supermajority of 24 seats in the Senate, compared to the Democrats' nine seats.

Statewide results

Party		Candidates	Votes			Seats won
			No.	%	+/–	No.	+/–	%
	Republican Party	17	1,032,867	47.26	7.17	10	0	58.82
	Democratic Party	17	1,145,439	52.41	6.84	7	0	41.18
	Libertarian Party	1	4,037	0.18	0.18	0	0	0.00
	Green Party	1	3,041	0.14	0.14	0	0	0.00
Total		36		100.00		17		100.00

Popular vote Democratic   52.41% Republican   47.26% Other   0.32%

Senate seats won Republican   58.82% Democratic   41.18%

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
Governing[1]	Safe R	October 8, 2018

Results by district

Overview

Results of the 2018 Ohio Senate election

District	Incumbent status	Incumbent		Winner		Result
1st	Running		Rob McColley			Incumbent Republican re-elected
3rd	Term-limited		Kevin Bacon		Tina Maharath	Democratic gain
5th	Term-limited		Bill Beagle		Steve Huffman	Republican hold
7th	Running		Steve Wilson			Incumbent Republican re-elected
9th	Running		Cecil Thomas			Incumbent Democrat re-elected
11th	Term-limited		Edna Brown		Teresa Fedor	Democratic hold
13th	Term-limited		Gayle Manning		Nathan Manning	Republican hold
15th	Term-limited		Charleta Tavares		Hearcel Craig	Democratic hold
17th	Running		Bob Peterson			Incumbent Republican re-elected
19th	Term-limited		Kris Jordan		Andrew Brenner	Republican hold
21st	Running		Sandra Williams			Incumbent Democrat re-elected
23rd	Term-limited		Michael Skindell		Nickie Antonio	Democratic hold
25th	Running		Kenny Yuko			Incumbent Democrat re-elected
27th	Term-limited		Frank LaRose		Kristina Roegner	Republican hold
29th	Term-limited		Scott Oelslager		Kirk Schuring	Republican hold
31st	Running		Jay Hottinger			Incumbent Republican re-elected
33rd	Term-limited		Joe Schiavoni		Michael Rulli	Republican gain

Detailed results

^[2]

District 1 • District 3 • District 5 • District 7 • District 9 • District 11 • District 13 • District 15 • District 17 • District 19 • District 21 • District 23 • District 25 • District 27 • District 29 • District 31 • District 33

District 1

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Adam Papin	7,150	100.0
Total votes			7,150	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Rob McColley (incumbent)	19,279	61.5
	Republican	Craig Kupferberg	6,104	19.5
	Republican	Bob Barker, Jr.	5,959	19.0
Total votes			31,342	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 1st State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Rob McColley (incumbent)	89,810	73.3
	Democratic	Adam Papin	32,765	26.7
Total votes			122,575	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	26.7[b]

District 3

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tina Maharath	11,462	71.8
	Democratic	Katherine Chipps (write-in)	4,500	28.2
Total votes			15,962	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Anne Gonzales	14,911	100.0
Total votes			14,911	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 3rd State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Tina Maharath	66,438	50.3
	Republican	Anne Gonzales	65,733	49.7
Total votes			122,575	100.0
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing	29.0

District 5

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Paul Bradley	11,731	100.0
Total votes			11,731	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Huffman	18,971	100.0
Total votes			18,971	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 5th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Huffman	62,574	52.9
	Democratic	Paul Bradley	55,669	47.1
Total votes			118,243	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	4.1

District 7

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sara Bitter	11,271	100.0
Total votes			11,271	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Wilson (incumbent)	17,179	57.1
	Republican	Brad Lamoreaux	12,926	42.9
Total votes			30,105	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 7th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Wilson (incumbent)	98,370	62.0
	Democratic	Sara Bitter	60,344	38.0
Total votes			158,714	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	38.0[c]

District 9

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Cecil Thomas (incumbent)	99,205	76.3
	Democratic	Dale Mallory	6,522	26.1
Total votes			25,015	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Tom Chandler (write-in)	204	100.0
Total votes			204	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 9th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Cecil Thomas (incumbent)	99,205	76.3
	Republican	Tom Chandler	30,833	23.7
Total votes			130,038	100.0
	Democratic hold		Swing	19.1

District 11

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Teresa Fedor	9,858	55.9
	Democratic	Michael Ashford	7,771	44.1
Total votes			17,629	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Ernest McCarthy	6,598	100.0
Total votes			6,598	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 11th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Teresa Fedor	73,934	69.4
	Republican	Ernest McCarthy	32,567	30.6
Total votes			106,501	100.0
	Democratic hold		Swing	5.0

District 13

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sharon Sweda	15,837	100.0
Total votes			15,837	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Nathan Manning	13,755	74.7
	Republican	Ryan Sawyer	4,668	25.3
Total votes			18,423	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 13th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Nathan Manning	69,286	52.7
	Democratic	Sharon Sweda	58,159	44.2
	Libertarian	Homer Taft	4,037	3.1
Total votes			131,482	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	10.7

District 15

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Hearcel Craig	20,440	69.8
	Democratic	Jodi Howell	8,857	30.2
Total votes			29,297	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jordan Garcea	5,009	100.0
Total votes			5,009	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 15th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Hearcel Craig	107,505	82.5
	Republican	Jordan Garcea	22,778	17.5
Total votes			130,283	100.0
	Democratic hold		Swing	6.1

District 17

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Scott Dailey	8,493	100.0
Total votes			8,493	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Peterson (incumbent)	23,326	100.0
Total votes			23,326	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 17th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Peterson (incumbent)	79,880	70.4
	Democratic	Scott Dailey	33,573	29.6
Total votes			113,453	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	29.6[d]

District 19

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Louise Valentine	17,349	100.0
Total votes			17,349	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Andrew Brenner	17,924	67.4
	Republican	Joel Spitzer	8,673	32.6
Total votes			26,597	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 19th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Andrew Brenner	81,623	50.4
	Democratic	Louise Valentine	77,247	47.7
	Green	David Cox	3,041	1.9
Total votes			161,911	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	10.7

District 21

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sandra Williams (incumbent)	19,210	59.6
	Democratic	Jeffrey Johnson	7,595	23.5
	Democratic	Bill Patmon	4,798	14.9
	Democratic	Willie Britt	653	2.0
Total votes			32,256	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Thomas Pekarek (write-in)	198	100.0
Total votes			198	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 21st State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sandra Williams	97,282	87.7
	Republican	Thomas Pekarek	13,621	12.3
Total votes			110,903	100.0
	Democratic hold		Swing	1.0

District 23

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Nickie Antonio	15,282	54.6
	Democratic	Martin Sweeney	12,699	45.4
Total votes			27,981	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Steve Flores (write-in)	581	100.0
Total votes			581	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 23rd State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Nickie Antonio	69,907	65.4
	Republican	Steve Flores	36,968	34.6
Total votes			106,875	100.0
	Democratic hold		Swing	3.0

District 25

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kenny Yuko (Incumbent)	18,094	58.9
	Democratic	John Barnes, Jr.	12,625	41.1
Total votes			30,719	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Bob Murphy	9,011	100.0
Total votes			9,011	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 25th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Kenny Yuko (incumbent)	97,503	75.0
	Republican	William Faehnrich[e]	32,506	25.0
Total votes			130,009	100.0
	Democratic hold		Swing	0.5

District 27

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Adam VanHo	14,520	100.0
Total votes			14,520	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kristina Roegner	21,381	100.0
Total votes			21,381	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 27th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kristina Roegner	84,031	58.5
	Democratic	Adam VanHo	59,711	41.5
Total votes			143,742	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	9.2

District 29

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Lauren Friedman	16,276	100.0
Total votes			16,276	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kirk Schuring	22,314	100.0
Total votes			22,314	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 29th State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Kirk Schuring	75,449	59.7
	Democratic	Lauren Friedman	50,932	40.3
Total votes			126,381	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	6.9

District 31

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Melinda Miller	11,946	100.0
Total votes			11,946	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jay Hottinger (incumbent)	24,600	100.0
Total votes			24,600	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 31st State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jay Hottinger (incumbent)	86,019	66.9
	Democratic	Melinda Miller	42,578	33.1
Total votes			128,597	100.0
	Republican hold		Swing	1.9

District 33

Primary results

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	John Boccieri	23,583	100.0
Total votes			23,583	100.0

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Rulli	16,617	100.0
Total votes			16,617	100.0

General election results

Ohio's 33rd State Senate District, 2018 general election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Michael Rulli	66,731	52.4
	Democratic	John Boccieri	60,575	47.6
Total votes			127,306	100.0
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing	52.4[f]

Notes

1. Compared to 2014, the last time these seats were up.
2. Seat was uncontested in the previous election.
3. Seat was uncontested in the previous election.
4. Seat was uncontested in the previous election.
5. Bob Murphy died after winning the primary and was replaced with Faehnrich by the county Republican parties.
6. Seat was uncontested in the previous election.