The head of the Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) is leaving her post for a national job. The move comes just a year before statewide elections for governor and U.S. Senate.
ODP Chair Liz Walters will be taking a job with TargetSmart, a Democratic political data firm in Washington DC. Walters confirmed that in a post on X. In a story from Signal Cleveland, Walters said that she was not forced out and thinks the job in the nation’s capital poses a good opportunity for her.
Walters has led the party for four years. The party has continued to struggle on a statewide level. Donald Trump won Ohio in 2024 by a larger margin than his wins in 2016 and 2020. In 2022, newcomer JD Vance won the state’s open U.S. Senate seat over U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan. Republicans swept the five executive offices in 2022, as they did in the three previous cycles. Democrats did win five of 15 Congressional seats in 2022 and 2024, and gained two seats in the Ohio House and two in the Senate. But Republicans still hold supermajorities in both chambers. And two of the Ohio Supreme Court’s three Democrats lost in 2024, leaving Justice Jennifer Brunner as the one statewide elected Democrat.
Next steps
The ODP must choose a new leader ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial elections, when newly appointed U.S. Sen. Jon Husted will run for that office for the first time, and every statewide executive office will be open, as all of the Republicans who now hold those posts are term-limited. Four of them are running for different executive offices, though Gov. Mike DeWine is not running for anything.
Ohio Democratic Party spokeswoman Katie Seewer said the next step is to call for an election. She said it's looking like the meeting already scheduled for June 10th will be when a new leader is chosen. Keewer said the 152 members of the executive committee will likely vote for a new chair. The winning candidate needs a simple majority of the executive committee members present at the meeting to win.
Sen Bill DeMora (D-Columbus) said when he heard about Walters leaving the post yesterday, he immediately knew he wanted to be the next chair. DeMora served as executive director in the party more than two decades ago. He ran to be party chair twice since then, both times stepping back to allow former directors Chris Redfern and Walters.
“I think right now the party is looking for somebody to fight for them. I mean we need somebody who is not afraid to take on the battles, take on the Republicans, to call them out for their hypocrisy and to be vocal all of the time. And I think I’ve proven that here in the Senate, of all of the stuff I’ve taken on. I’m not afraid to muddy the waters. I’m not afraid to take on battles of anybody. I think of all of the rallies we are having and all of the people who are clamoring for somebody to speak for them – I can do that," DeMora said.
If DeMora were to take on the position as chair of the party, he said he’d continue his elected position in the Senate. He said he works hard, has the support of labor, and has the time to devote to both positions.
It is unknown if anyone else might also be running for the post.
The chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, Alex Triantifilou, sent a kind wish on X to Liz as she leaves her post.
"I see that my counterpart in the @OHDems @lizmwalters is stepping down as Chair. Our professional interaction was limited, but always respectful. I wish her well," Triantifilou said.
