Gay rights icon Jim Obergefell loses Ohio House race – The Cincinnati Enquirer
Democrat Jim Obergefell proved he could win a same-sex marriage case in the U.S. Supreme Court but when it came to running for the Ohio Legislature in a GOP-favored district, he came up short.
Obergefell lost to Republican incumbent D.J. Swearingen in the 89th House District 61.7% to 38.3%, according to final, unofficial returns. The district, which includes Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties, is 57% Republican, according to Dave’s Redistricting.
“The results were not what we were hoping for, but that does not mean I will stop fighting,” Obergefell said in a statement. “I will always be a champion for all Ohioans, and I will continue to fight for the issues that matter the most to our district.”
Obergefell was the lead plaintiff in the landmark 2015 case that legalized same-sex marriage across the country. In July 2013, Obergefell married John Arthur, who was gravely ill. Because Ohio at the time didn’t allow same-sex unions, the couple flew from their home in Cincinnati to Maryland to exchange vows.
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Arthur died three months later, and Obergefell sued to be listed on the death certificate as Arthur’s husband. That case was among multiple cases involving dozens of plaintiffs argued together but Obergefell was the lead plaintiff, meaning the case bore his name.
Ohio has elected very few openly gay politicians to the Legislature. State Sen. Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, has been the only openly gay state lawmaker in Ohio for several years.
Swearingen, an attorney, was first appointed to the House seat in August 2019.
Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.