Forbes defeats Jamison in Democratic primary for Ohio Supreme Court, unofficial results show

Appellate court Judge Lisa Forbes has won the Democratic Party’s nomination for an open seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, unofficial results from Tuesday night show as the Associated Press called the race for Forbes.

Forbes is a judge on the 8th District Court of Appeals. She defeated 10th District Court of Appeals Judge Terri Jamison for the nomination.

In 2024, three Ohio Supreme Court seats will be up for election in November. Incumbent Democratic Justice Michael P. Donnelly is being challenged by Republican Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan. Incumbent Democratic Justice Melody Stewart is being challenged by incumbent Republican Justice Joseph Deters, who declined to run for his current seat in favor of challenging Stewart.

In the race for Deters’ current seat, Forbes will face off against Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Dan Hawkins in the general election. Hawkins ran unopposed in Tuesday’s primary. Forbes was the Ohio Democratic Party’s endorsed candidate in the primary.

Deters made the decision to vacate his current position on the bench to run against Stewart in November for an elected six-year term. Deters was appointed to his seat in 2023 by Gov. Mike DeWine after Justice Sharon Kennedy rose to the chief justice chair with the age-limited departure of then-Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor.

Ohio lawmakers added party labels to Ohio Supreme Court races in 2022. Republicans won all three supreme court races later that year. The court currently has a 4-3 Republican majority.

If Forbes were to defeat Hawkins and the incumbents Stewart and Donnelly survive the general election challenges to their seats, the partisan makeup of the court would swing away from its Republican majority, with Forbes joining Stewart, Donnelly and Justice Jennifer Brunner as a new 4-3 Democratic majority. Meanwhile, if Republicans sweep all three Ohio Supreme Court seats up in November as they did in 2022, they would capture a 6-1 Republican majority court.

Decisions by the Ohio Supreme Court affect issues statewide, including everything from enforcement of constitutional rights to voting, to enforcement of redistricting regulations and oversight of laws made by the General Assembly.

In just the last year, the state supreme court has made rulings affecting the ballot initiative that would eventually enshrine abortion into the Ohio Constitution, the Ohio Statehouse district map approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, the enforcement of a six-week abortion ban still being fought in a lower court, and heard arguments related to the consistency of criminal sentencing.

Forbes was unavailable for comment on Tuesday night after the race was called, but released a joint statement with Donnelly and Stewart via the Ohio Democratic Party.

“For too long, Ohioans have had to endure a Court that has put politics over people, and we look forward to restoring the power to the people this November,” the statement read. “With so much at stake in 2024, we need all hands on deck to defend our democracy.”

Susan Tebben is an award-winning journalist with a decade of experience covering Ohio news, including courts and crime, Appalachian social issues, government, education, diversity and culture. She has worked for The Newark Advocate, The Glasgow (Ky.) Daily Times, The Athens Messenger, and WOUB Public Media. She has also had work featured on National Public Radio.

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