COLUMBUS, Ohio — One of Ohio's top Democratic leaders, Allison Russo, is stepping down from her role as House minority leader.
During a private caucus retreat on Thursday, Russo (D-Upper Arlington) told representatives that she is leaving her leadership position at the end of June.
Russo said in a statement: “Serving as the Ohio House Minority leader for the last three and a half years has been an incredible honor. It has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding positions I've had the privilege to hold."
Her full statement is at the end of this article.
Russo has been the leader since 2022 and was elected to the legislature in 2018. She is credited within the party as being instrumental in getting the reproductive rights amendment passed in 2023, fighting against gerrymandering and working in a bipartisan fashion with former Speaker Jason Stephens to pass a budget with fair school funding during the last General Assembly.
She will remain a state representative.
"Leader Russo has been a great leader, colleague, role model, and friend," state Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) told News 5. "She successfully maneuvered some very troubling times in our state government and was always focused on improving the lives of all Ohioans. It was an honor to serve under her leadership, and I thank her for her sacrifice and look forward to her next chapter."
I have previously asked her about her goals once her term is up in 2026. Colleagues have said she wants to run for state office. "I am very focused on leading this caucus, getting this budget across the finish line," she said in May. "I don't think that my time in public service is done, but I have not made a decision about what that means for 2026. I promise you all will be the first to know if I do."
The race is now on to become the next leader. Democratic lawmakers tell me that the frontrunners include current members of leadership: Assistant Minority Leader Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Minority Whip Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati). We have reached out to both to ask about their interest.
Jarrells said in a text: "Serving alongside Leader Allison Russo as Assistant Minority Leader has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Her leadership, marked by fierce tenacity, deep compassion, and unwavering conviction, brought stability in turbulent times. She helped us heal from within, grow stronger as a caucus, and even in the minority, she showed us how to win: for working families, for justice, and for the people we represent. As I reflect on what’s next, I do so with humility and a heart full of gratitude. If my colleagues believe I should continue to serve in leadership, then let it be a decision rooted in trust, collaboration, and collective vision, a decision made from the bottom, not the top. To every member who has walked this journey with me: I say to them, thank you."
Jarrells has been Russo's assistant leader since 2023.
Isaacsohn has been in his position since 2024.
"I plan on continuing to try and move this caucus forward as best as I can!" Isaacsohn said in a text to News 5. "We are grateful for Leader Russo’s service and tremendous leadership, and we are going to stay very committed to the caucus being united during the process."
The House's top Democrat on the Finance Committee, one of the most impactful jobs in the state legislature, is state Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake), and she has weighed in with her choice for the role.
"I have every belief that our caucus will be united at the front end. I am proud of the work that our caucus has done under the leadership of Representative Russo, and I know that Representative Isaacsohn is the best person to carry on the legacy that Leader Russo has continued of Democrats being relevant and to start winning again," Sweeney said on the phone. "That's why I'm 100% behind Rep. Isaacsohn."
House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) is awaiting his new Democratic counterpart.
“I appreciated working with Allison Russo and greatly respect her commitment to the Ohio House as Minority Leader,” Huffman said in a statement. “I look forward to working with new leadership once selected by the Democratic Caucus.”
Russo's full statement:
“Serving as the Ohio House Minority leader for the last three and a half years has been an incredible honor. It has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding positions I've had the privilege to hold. This role has allowed me to shape our Democratic policy priorities, be an unwavering voice for the needs of Ohio working families, and recruit talented new legislators and a team of hardworking staff to carry out these priorities. I owe so much to my Democratic colleagues in the House and to the voters in my district and all across Ohio who have shown me support as we have fought for working Ohioans in the face of a very hostile and extreme Republican majority.
Over the last few years, my colleagues and I have stood strong in the face of attacks on our most basic rights and values, and despite tough odds we were successful in standing up for all Ohioans. We preserved our right to direct democracy against an attempt to raise the citizen ballot initiative threshold to 60 percent. We fought to fund public schools and speak out against the dangerous private school voucher program. We stood up for the rights of working Ohioans and so much more.
Every strong leader knows the importance of a thoughtful transition. At the beginning of this session, I communicated to members that I wanted to remain in leadership through the important state operating budget negotiations, and that work will be completed by the end of this month. Going into the summer legislative break and remaining portion of the General Assembly session, it is important that I give the next leadership team ample time to thoughtfully and carefully plan how to navigate our Caucus priorities after this budget cycle and to continue building our effort to pick up more seats for Democrats in the Ohio House in 2026. I will continue to fully support our Caucus in all of those efforts, but I will do it in an advisory role so that I can focus on completing the policy work I am most passionate about and serving my district.
For the immediate future, I’m focusing on my constituents in the 7th House district and my family. My son just graduated high school, and I look forward to spending the summer with him and my family preparing to send him off to college. Any decisions regarding my political future, will come at a later time."
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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