Term limits spur Ohio GOP reshuffle as DeWine nears end of final term

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio’s term limits are set to create turnover in state government, but as the state heads toward November elections with open seats across the top offices, many of the same political figures are positioning themselves to stay in power by moving into different roles.

In 2027, Ohio will have a new governor as Gov. Mike DeWine reaches the end of his second term. With term limits affecting multiple statewide offices, the upcoming election cycle is shaping up as a round of political musical chairs.

The Ohio Constitution mandates term limits for state officeholders such as governor and attorney general. Voters also approved term limits in 1992 for state representatives and state senators. But instead of consistently producing new faces in Columbus, the limits have often led to officeholders shifting from one position to another.

• Several prominent Republicans are already lined up for new races:
• Republican Keith Faber, term-limited as auditor, is running for attorney general.
• Frank LaRose, term-limited as secretary of state, is running for auditor.
• Robert Sprague, term-limited as treasurer, is running for secretary of state.
• Two term-limited legislators — former state Rep. Jay Edwards and term-limited state Sen. Kristina Roegner — are facing off in the primary for treasurer.

Catherine Turcer of Common Cause Ohio said the original intent behind term limits was to bring new lawmakers into the Statehouse.

“When we thought about the need for term limits, there was the sense, hey, we want to refresh the Statehouse,” Turcer said. “And that doesn’t happen when legislators go from one chamber to the other.”

Republican strategist Terry Casey said the current dynamic reflects competing voter preferences.

“The public wants people experienced, but they also want turnover and change,” Casey said. “So this is kind of an unusual quirk that hasn’t happened previously in history. But again, do you want experience or do you want fresh faces? In reality, the public wants both.”

Turcer said experience can be valuable, but she argued voters also wanted to prevent long-term consolidation of political influence.

“One of the things that voters really didn’t want was the accumulation of power,” Turcer said.

She pointed to Matt Huffman as an example. Huffman served as president of the Senate, and when he was term-limited there, he ran for the Ohio House in 2024. He won and then became House speaker.

“So that’s not just jumping from one chamber to the other,” Turcer said. “That’s bringing along the political power and the long-term career that you have.”

While proposals occasionally surface to change Ohio’s term-limit rules, there are no active efforts underway, meaning the pattern of candidates moving from one office to another is likely to continue.