COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens is saying goodbye to the gavel after his two-year role as leader. His speakership can be defined by his willingness to work across the aisle.
Dec. 18 was the last legislative session to pass bills that Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) will likely preside over.
"We got a lot of good policy done," Stephens said to reporters around 2:15 a.m. after the 17-hour marathon lame duck session.
The speaker was able to accomplish GOP priorities, such as making firearms more available and restricting LGBTQ+ youth rights. However, neither of those seemed to be his main goal.
He is most proud of the billions spent on the operating and capital budgets, as well as the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund to help communities in need, he said.
During his last gaggle, I asked him if there was anything he would have done differently if he could go back to 2023. He said he "didn't think so."
"We were a very conservative Republican House that listened to our friends on the other side of the aisle and gave them an opportunity to be heard and gave them an opportunity to speak," Stephens said. "I think that is something that is important in politics."
The 135th General Assembly was atypical — with unlikely partnerships between a segment of Republicans and the Democrats.
"We've been able to have a little bit more influence because of the division that has existed in the majority party," Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) told me.
There continues to be a bitter rivalry between Stephens and a faction of his caucus. This drama stems from January 2023 and how he came to power.
The Republican caucus had previously chosen state far-right Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) as speaker months before the full House floor vote.
Twenty-two Republicans (known "affectionately" by the other faction as the "Blue 22") and 32 Democrats voted for Stephens for speaker during the actual vote, while the majority of Republicans voted for Merrin. Stephens, still a conservative, is significantly more moderate than Merrin.
CLICK HERE to read more in-depth about the Republican infighting.
"I don't apologize for that — neither do my members," Russo said. "Wherever we can find opportunities, again, to do good things for our districts and do good things for people — we're going to continue to do that."
But was Stephens only a collaborative leader because he was "reliant" on the Democrats since they helped him become speaker, as some of his foes allege? No, that's just who he is, has has said.
The speaker has been described by allies as a “compassionate conservative,” believing the government has a responsibility to help support public programs and disadvantaged people while also encouraging personal responsibility, according to George W. Bush's fact sheet on his shared political philosophy.
Due to this viewpoint, Stephens and Russo had common goals.
"I'm very proud of the work and push that we did for the Fair School Funding Plan, making sure that was fully funded," Russo said about public education spending.
Democrats also passed other priority legislation, such as domestic violence prevention and bills lessening childcare costs. The House budgets were cheered as bipartisan successes.
Plus, Stephens and his faction of the GOP, and even some rivals, stood with Dems to fight against restrictions to free speech, elimination of union rights and changes to what the voters chose on marijuana policy.
"As we've said, this is the People's House, and we will continue to respect the will of the voters," Stephens told me about cannabis reform.
But that alliance won’t exist in 2025.
"You have dethroned the current speaker of the house — Allison Russo," state Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) said while giving a farewell speech to Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima).
Stephens knew he would likely be unseated by Huffman, his rival. He bowed out of the race two days before the internal GOP vote.
Huffman, who is term-limited in the Senate, then won unanimously in mid-Nov.
“We're going to start fresh in January of ‘25,” Huffman said after winning.
The speaker-elect can be described as a "traditional conservative," with his focus being on business growth and cutting taxes. He did work with Democratic leadership, having a good relationship with Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), but their chamber wasn't nearly as bipartisan as the House.
While different in how they view the will of the voters when it comes to election results on abortion and marijuana, neither of the two men fall under the MAGA-esque category of Republican. Both follow most of Ohio's top executive officials in being mild-mannered to reporters, as well.
Huffman has always had a tighter reign on his chamber, preventing more abstract legislation from moving. He has blocked several far-right policies that the House sent or tried to send him, including legislation that would have prevented local police from working with federal law enforcement to combat gun crimes. In the previous General Assembly, Huffman took out a provision that would require genital examinations on child athletes "suspected" of being transgender.
That being said, the business community has told me they are very excited for a Huffman speakership, while unions are concerned.
Here is what his speakership could look like.
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Although Stephens says he isn't ready to lose power, he knows that things anything can happen in politics.
"Some days it's raining, but the sun will shine again," the speaker said. "And some days it's sunny but it's gonna rain again so you just go through it and try to be optimistic and positive."
The final vote for speaker will be on Jan. 6.
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