Republican members of the Ohio House will meet Tuesday afternoon to discuss picking a new Speaker for the second time in a little over two years, as they consider what to do about current leader Larry Householder, who’sfacing a racketeering chargerelated to the nuclear bailout law he pushed.
In June 2018, it took two and a half hours and eleven rounds of voting to elect a speaker to replace former Rep. Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville), who resigned two months earlier and voting on legislation in the House was shut down.
It’ll be the same process this time – a candidate would need to win a simple majority, 50 votes from 99 members. And the House can hold this vote whether Householder resigns or not.
Reps. Bob Cupp (R-Lima), Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township), Craig Riedel (R-Defiance) and Tim Ginter (R-Salem) are interested in taking the gavel – all of them are seeking re-election. Speaker Pro Tem Jim Butler (R-Oakwood), who had tried to beat Rosenberger to become speaker in 2014, is term limited at the end of this year.
A temporary speaker could set up a months-long battle like the one in which Householder ousted Smith last year.