Minority Whip Tracy Maxwell Heard is the new minority leader, after Armond Budish of Beachwood in suburban Cleveland suddenly announced he was resigning as leader on Tuesday. Budish is said to be considering a run for Cuyahoga County executive now that Ed FitzGerald is running for governor.
Assistant Minority Leader Matt Szollosi of suburban Toledo said earlier this year he was leaving the House to head a construction trade group. Along with Heard’s election, Debbie Phillips of Athens was chosen as assistant minority leader, with Mike Ashford of Toledo and Dan Ramos of Lorain rounding out the team.
The leaders of the minority caucuses both the House and Senate are African American, and it may be the first time two women have headed up the minority leadership team in the House. Ramos is the Ohio House’s first ever Latino in leadership. There are 39 House Democrats to the Republicans’ 60-member supermajority.
