2014 Ohio gubernatorial election

See also: 2014 United States gubernatorial elections

The 2014 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Republican governor John Kasich won reelection to a second term in office by a landslide over Democratic candidate Ed FitzGerald and Green Party candidate Anita Rios. Primary elections were held on May 6, 2014.

2014 Ohio gubernatorial election

← 2010 November 4, 2014 2018 →

Nominee John Kasich Ed FitzGerald Party Republican Democratic Running mate Mary Taylor Sharen Neuhardt Popular vote 1,944,848 1,009,359 Percentage 63.64% 33.03%

County results Congressional district results Precinct results Kasich:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% FitzGerald:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%      >90% Tie:      50%      No data

Governor before election John Kasich Republican Elected Governor John Kasich Republican

Despite FitzGerald's massive defeat, he is, as of 2023, the last Democrat to carry the historically Democratic Monroe County, which voted for Republican candidate Mike DeWine four years later. Kasich's landslide victory gave him the highest percentage of the vote since George Voinovich's win in 1994, a large improvement from his narrow victory in 2010. As of 2024^[update], this was the last time the counties of Cuyahoga and Franklin voted for the Republican candidate and the last time Monroe County voted for the Democratic candidate.

This was one of the nine Republican-held governorships up for election in a state that Barack Obama won in the 2012 presidential election.

Background

Kasich, who was elected with Tea Party support in 2010, faced considerable backlash from the movement. His decision to accept the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid, his increased spending, taxation of fracking on Ohio farmland and perceived failure to go far enough on charter schools and school vouchers caused Tea Party groups to refuse to support his campaign.^[1] When Kasich passed over Tea Party leader Tom Zawistowski for the position of executive director of the Ohio Republican Party in favor of Matt Borges, who worked with a gay rights group, that was widely seen as the last straw.^[2] Tea Party groups announced they would support a primary challenger, or, if none emerged, the Libertarian nominee. Zawistowski said, "John Kasich is going to lose in 2014. We don't care who else wins."^[3] Ultimately, Kasich was unopposed in the Republican primary.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• John Kasich, incumbent governor^[4]
  • Running mate: Mary Taylor, incumbent lieutenant governor

Withdrawn

• Donald Allen, veterinarian and candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010^[5][6]
  • Running mate: Kelly Kohls, education activist and chair of the Warren County Tea Party^[5]
• Ted Stevenot, president of the Ohio Liberty Coalition^[7]

Results

Republican primary results^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	John Kasich (incumbent)	559,671	100
Total votes			559,671	100

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Larry Ealy, former tow truck operator, former male stripper, perennial candidate and vexatious litigant^[9][10][11]
  • Running mate: Ken Gray, nurse^[12]
• Ed FitzGerald, County Executive of Cuyahoga County and former mayor of Lakewood^[13]
  • Running mate: Sharen Neuhardt, attorney, nominee for Ohio's 7th congressional district in 2008 and for Ohio's 10th congressional district in 2012^[14]

Withdrew

• Todd Portune, Hamilton County Commissioner^[15][16]

Declined

• Michael B. Coleman, mayor of Columbus^[17]
• Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and former Ohio Attorney General^[18]
• Tim Ryan, U.S. representative^[19]
• Ted Strickland, former governor^[17]
• Betty Sutton, former U.S. representative^[20]

Results

Results by county:

  FitzGerald

•   60–70%
•   70–80%
•   80–90%

Democratic primary results^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Ed FitzGerald	366,056	83.15
	Democratic	Larry Ealy	74,197	16.85
Total votes			440,253	100

Green primary

Candidates

Declared

• Anita Rios, nominee for lieutenant governor of Ohio in 2006 and 2010 and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012^[21]
  • Running mate: Bob Fitrakis, author and perennial candidate^[21]

Disqualified

• Dennis Spisak, perennial candidate (failed to gather enough valid signatures)^[22][23][24]
  • Running mate: Suzanne Patzer, information technology supervisor^[12]

Results

Green Party primary results^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Green	Anita Rios	674	100
Total votes			674	100

Libertarian primary

Charlie Earl gathered enough raw signatures to obtain ballot access.^[22] However, he was removed from the ballot because technical faults in collection rendered many of his signatures invalid. The decision was appealed in federal court.^[25]

Candidates

Disqualified

• Charlie Earl, former Republican state representative^[26]
  • Running mate: Sherry Clark, newspaper publisher^[27]

General election

Campaign

FitzGerald released a plan for state-funded universal preschool in addition to announcing his support for gay marriage.^[28] He criticized Kasich for signing into law income tax cuts that save larger sums of money for wealthier Ohioans than poorer ones, while increasing sales taxes, which tax a larger percentage of income from poorer Ohioans than from wealthier ones.^[29] FitzGerald also chided Kasich for a lack of transparency at JobsOhio, the privatized economic development agency that Kasich formed,^[30][31][32] and for signing into law bills that cut early voting days and limit the distribution of absentee ballot applications.^[33][34] FitzGerald faced several scandals that damaged his candidacy, most notably the revelations that he had driven for several years without a valid driver's license, him being found in a car late at night with a woman who was not his wife, and that his initial running mate, State Sen. Eric Kearney, owed over $1 million in unpaid taxes. Additionally, FitzGerald consistently trailed Kasich in fundraising throughout the entire campaign.^[35]

Endorsements

John Kasich

Newspapers

• The Cincinnati Enquirer^[36]
• The Columbus Dispatch^[37]
• The Plain Dealer^[38]

Organizations

• Indiana/Kentucky/Ohio Regional Council of Carpenters^[39]
• International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18^[40]
• National Federation of Independent Business^[41]
• Ohio Chamber of Commerce^[42]
• Ohio Restaurant Association^[43]

Ed Fitzgerald

Individuals

• Sherrod Brown, United States senator (D-OH)^[44]
• Michael B. Coleman, mayor of Columbus^[45]
• Frank G. Jackson, mayor of Cleveland^[46]
• Marcy Kaptur, U.S. representative (D-OH-9)^[47]
• Ted Strickland, former governor of Ohio^[48]

Organizations

• Ohio AFL–CIO^[49]
• Ohio Civil Service Employees Association^[50]
• Ohio Education Association^[51]
• Ohio Federation of Teachers^[50]
• Service Employees International Union^[50]
• United Automobile Workers^[52]
• United Food and Commercial Workers^[50]

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[53]	Solid R	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[54]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[55]	Safe R	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[56]	Safe R	November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Ed FitzGerald (D)	Other	Undecided
The Columbus Dispatch[57]	October 22–31, 2014	1,009	± 3.3%	62%	34%	—	4%
Fox News[58]	October 28–30, 2014	803	± 3%	51%	36%	2%	11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[59]	October 16–23, 2014	2,728	± 3%	54%	35%	1%	10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[60]	September 20 – October 1, 2014	3,082	± 2%	52%	36%	1%	11%
Quinnipiac[61]	September 24–29, 2014	999	± 3.1%	57%	35%	2%	7%
The Columbus Dispatch[62]	September 3–5, 2014	1,185	± 2.9%	59%	29%	3%[63]	10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[64]	August 18 – September 2, 2014	2,978	± 3%	50%	37%	2%	11%
Rasmussen Reports[65]	September 8–9, 2014	780	± 4%	50%	30%	—	20%
Buckeye Poll[66]	August 31, 2014	600	± 4%	46%	27%	4%	23%
Public Policy Polling^[67]	August 8–9, 2014	801	± ?	50%	44%	—	6%
Quinnipiac[68]	July 24–28, 2014	1,366	± 2.7%	48%	36%	1%	15%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[69]	July 5–24, 2014	3,624	± ?	49%	43%	1%	7%
Public Policy Polling^[70]	July 9–10, 2014	889	± ?	45%	44%	—	11%
Quinnipiac[71]	May 7–12, 2014	1,174	± 2.9%	50%	35%	1%	13%
Public Policy Polling^[72]	May 9–11, 2014	740	± ?	47%	43%	—	10%
Rasmussen Reports[65]	May 7–8, 2014	750	± 4%	45%	38%	4%	13%
SurveyUSA[73]	April 24–28, 2014	618	± 4%	46%	36%	4%[63]	14%
Magellan Strategies[74]	April 14–15, 2014	857	± 3.35%	47%	41%	5%	7%
Public Policy Polling^[75]	April 14–15, 2014	1,050	± ?	44%	44%	—	11%
Quinnipiac[76]	February 12–17, 2014	1,370	± 2.7%	43%	38%	1%	18%
Public Policy Polling[77]	December 6–8, 2013	1,011	± 3.1%	40%	38%	6%[78]	16%
Quinnipiac[79]	November 19–24, 2013	1,361	± 2.7%	44%	37%	2%	19%
Public Policy Polling^[80]	November 5–6, 2013	595	± 4%	41%	41%	6%[78]	13%
Public Policy Polling[81]	August 16–19, 2013	551	± 4.2%	35%	38%	—	27%
Quinnipiac[82]	June 18–23, 2013	941	± 3.2%	47%	33%	1%	19%
Quinnipiac[83]	April 10–15, 2013	1,138	± 2.9%	46%	37%	1%	17%
Quinnipiac[84]	February 21–26, 2013	1,011	± 3.1%	45%	35%	1%	19%

Hypothetical polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Michael B. Coleman (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[85]	June 21–24, 2012	673	± 3.8%	43%	36%	—	22%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Richard Cordray (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[82]	June 18–23, 2013	941	± 3.2%	47%	36%	1%	17%
Quinnipiac[83]	April 10–15, 2013	1,138	± 2.9%	45%	38%	2%	15%
Quinnipiac[84]	February 21–26, 2013	1,011	± 3.1%	44%	38%	1%	18%
Public Policy Polling[85]	June 21–24, 2012	673	± 3.8%	41%	40%	—	19%
Public Policy Polling[86]	May 3–6, 2012	875	± 3.3%	42%	42%	—	16%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Larry Ealy (D)	Anita Rios (G)	Undecided
SurveyUSA[73]	April 24–28, 2014	618	± 4%	50%	25%	7%	18%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Dennis Kucinich (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[85]	June 21–24, 2012	673	± 3.8%	45%	35%	—	20%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Tim Ryan (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[84]	February 21–26, 2013	1,011	± 3.1%	44%	36%	1%	19%
Public Policy Polling[85]	June 21–24, 2012	673	± 3.8%	41%	33%	—	26%
Public Policy Polling[86]	May 3–6, 2012	875	± 3.3%	40%	41%	—	19%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Ted Strickland (D)	Other	Undecided
Public Policy Polling[85]	June 21–24, 2012	673	± 3.8%	44%	42%	—	14%
Public Policy Polling[86]	May 3–6, 2012	875	± 3.3%	40%	47%	—	12%
Public Policy Polling[87]	January 28–29, 2012	820	± 3.4%	36%	56%	—	8%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	John Kasich (R)	Betty Sutton (D)	Other	Undecided
Quinnipiac[84]	February 21–26, 2013	1,011	± 3.1%	45%	38%	1%	16%

• ^ Polling for the Ohio Democratic Party

Results

State Senate district results

Ohio gubernatorial election, 2014^[88]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	John Kasich (incumbent)	1,944,848	63.64%	+14.60%
	Democratic	Ed FitzGerald	1,009,359	33.03%	−14.01%
	Green	Anita Rios	101,706	3.33%	+1.81%
Total votes			3,055,913	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

• Ashtabula (largest city: Ashtabula)
• Belmont (largest city: Martins Ferry)
• Cuyahoga (largest city: Cleveland)
• Erie (largest city: Sandusky)
• Franklin (largest city: Columbus)
• Harrison (largest city: Cadiz)
• Hocking (largest city: Logan)
• Jackson (largest city: Jackson)
• Jefferson (largest city: Steubenville)
• Lawrence (largest city: Ironton)
• Lorain (largest municipality: Lorain)
• Lucas (largest city: Toledo)
• Mahoning (largest municipality: Youngstown)
• Meigs (largest city: Middleport)
• Montgomery (largest city: Dayton)
• Noble (largest city: Caldwell)
• Ottawa (largest city: Port Clinton)
• Perry (largest city: New Lexington)
• Pike (largest city: Waverly)
• Ross (largest city: Chillicothe)
• Scioto (largest city: Portsmouth)
• Summit (largest city: Akron)
• Trumbull (largest city: Warren)
• Vinton (largest city: McArthur)
• Washington (largest city: Marietta)
• Wood (largest city: Bowling Green)

By congressional district

Kasich won 14 of 16 congressional districts, including two that voted for Democrats.^[89]

District	Kasich	FitzGerald	Representative
1st	65%	32%	Steve Chabot
2nd	69%	30%	Brad Wenstrup
3rd	47%	49%	Joyce Beatty
4th	71%	26%	Jim Jordan
5th	69%	28%	Bob Latta
6th	63%	34%	Bill Johnson
7th	70%	27%	Bob Gibbs
8th	74%	24%	John Boehner
9th	52%	44%	Marcy Kaptur
10th	65%	32%	Mike Turner
11th	35%	61%	Marcia Fudge
12th	70%	27%	Pat Tiberi
13th	53%	43%	Tim Ryan
14th	68%	29%	David Joyce
15th	66%	30%	Steve Stivers
16th	70%	27%	Jim Renacci