State Rep. Cliff Rosenberger gained the support of most of the Republican caucus this summer.
But State Rep. Jim Butler of the Dayton area had the backing of several hard-right and Tea Party conservative lawmakers. Butler’s supporters haven’t commented on the choice of Rosenberger as the new Speaker.
But Portage County Tea Party head Tom Zawistowski said he suspects the vote was engineered in a way that violates the principle of checks and balances.
“Let’s be frank about it – Gov. Kasich picked Rosenberger," Zawistowski said. "Gov. Kasich is picking the leader of the House. It’s flat-out wrong. It’s our House. They should be an independent body.”
Zawistowski disputes the vote as just a straw poll, because he says the actual vote on the incoming Speaker has to happen when the new General Assembly starts in January.
