Robert Cupp Won't Seek Open Ohio Supreme Court Seat

Republican Justice Robert Cupp was defeated by Democratic challenger Bill O’Neill, who won a seat in his third try for the Ohio Supreme Court. Republican Justice Evelyn Stratton is retiring, and there was speculation that Cupp might be Gov. John Kasich’s choice to replace her. But Cupp says in an announcement that he will not apply for that appointment. Cupp notes that several cases still remain to be decided by the end of the year, and that he won’t apply “to avoid any appearance that my decision in such cases may be influenced by a desire to be appointed by the Governor to fill the vacancy, and to best serve public confidence in the independence of the Supreme Court.” But Cupp doesn’t rule out running again at some point.