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Officials are processing ballots from the November 2022 midterm elections.
The midterm elections of 2022 held a few surprises for everyone, it seems. While some races in Ohio and Kentucky were a bit predictable, others caught national attention for flipping the script. Below, catch up on some of the local, regional and state races and issues that CityBeat focused on, and then head to your secretary of state's website (ohiosos.gov in Ohio and elect.ky.gov in Kentucky) or county board of elections (votehamiltoncountyohio.gov in Hamilton County) for full results (winners are preliminary until results ar certified in about two weeks).
Mike DeWine Retains Ohio Governor Seat, Defeating Challenger Nan Whaley
DeWine began his first term in 2019 after serving in Ohio's statehouse, as a U.S. senator and as a lieutenant governor. He earned praise from medical experts in 2020 for Ohio's COVID-19 public health protocols but got scorn from many far-right Republicans who rallied against coronavirus vaccines and other safety measures. Whaley, a Democrat, is the former mayor of Dayton who was in office when the city was just the fourth in the nation to sue pharmaceutical companies and others over the opiate addiction in Ohio. She has been a vocal advocate for gun safety legislation, abortion rights and banning LGBTQ+ conversion methods. Read CityBeat's story about the DeWine/Whaley battle.
J.D. Vance Defeats Tim Ryan in Ohio's Pivotal U.S. Senate Race
Vance, an author and venture capitalist, was raised 30 miles north of Cincinnati in Middletown. His campaign leaned into the MAGA-sphere, with Vance twice appearing on stage with maligned former U.S. president Donald Trump to campaign on immigration fears, blame Democrats for inflation and attack teachers unions. Ryan, who has served 10 terms in the U.S. House, focused on economic concerns and shrugged off culture wars while still supporting abortion access. Read CityBeat's story about the Vance/Ryan battle.
In Abortion Rights Victory, Kentucky Voters Shoot Down Constitutional Amendment
Abortion remains illegal in Kentucky as the result of a “trigger” law banning abortion in the wake of the monumental overturn of Roe v. Wade in June. However, the failure of Amendment 2 means the state's abortion ban can still be challenged as unconstitutional in the courts. Read CityBeat's story about Amendment 2.
Cincinnati City Council Member Greg Landsman Defeats Incumbent Steve Chabot, Flips 1st Congressional District
Landsman, a Democrat, has slammed Chabot for voting to overturn the legitimate 2020 election of U.S. President Joe Biden. He also has highlighted restoring abortion rights, repairing infrastructure like the Brent Spence Bridge and passing LGBTQIA+ protections as goals as a Congress member. Chabot, who was the incumbent Republican, has repeatedly voted against abortion protections and indicated that he also would consider banning birth control. Read CityBeat's story about the Landsman/Chabot battle.
Adam Mathews Takes Ohio's 56th District over Joy Bennett
Mathews, a Republican, is the vice-mayor of Lebanon. Bennett, a Democrat, is a marketing and communications strategist who led a public fight against the city of Mason as the local council attempted (and eventually failed) to implement a total abortion ban. Read CityBeat's story about the Mathews/Bennett battle.
In Ohio's 89th District, D.J. Swearingen Defeats Jim Obergefell, Who Helped Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
Swearingen, a Republican, has held the position since 2019. Obergefell, a Democrat, is a University of Cincinnati alum who may be best known as the lead plaintiff in the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Read CityBeat's story about the Swearingen/Obergefell battle.
Cincinnati Voters Overwhelmingly Approve Issue 11, Eliminating Mayor's Pocket Veto
Cincinnati's mayor will now have to refer legislation to the proper committee within four scheduled meetings of it being filed, with the head of that committee then required to place the legislation on the agenda for any of the subsequent four meetings. The legislation would leave committee and go to the full Cincinnati City Council, again within the span of four scheduled meetings. Read CityBeat's story about Issue 11.
2022 Midterm Results in Ohio and Kentucky That You May Have Missed
State offices, state supreme court judges and county-level officials – catch up on the best of the rest. Read CityBeat's roundup of remaining election notes.
'There Go My Rights': Twitter Reacts to Ohio, Kentucky 2022 Midterm Election Results
Midterm elections typically don’t involve tons of drama, but boy, did that change for 2022. Flips, dips and drips all came out of this year's showdowns, and locals are talking about how the results affect their hopes and fears for their home states. Read CityBeat's story about reactions that are both hilarious and heartbreaking.
Still looking for deeper dives on the big personalities and issues from this year's election? Catch up on CityBeat's feature stories, candidate interviews and more.
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