Jon Husted
Encyclopedia
Jon A. Husted is an American politician of the Republican Party
who currently serves as Ohio Secretary of State
. Previously, he was a member of the Ohio Senate
, representing the 6th district (portions of Montgomery County). He also previously served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from 2001 to 2009 and Speaker of the House from 2005 to 2009. He was elected Ohio Secretary of State
on November 2, 2010, defeating Democratic
candidate, Franklin County, Ohio Clerk of Courts Maryellen O'Shaughnessy.
Husted was recruited for collegiate football and went on to play cornerback
for the University of Dayton
team. He said about arriving in Dayton "I had never been anywhere...I thought Dayton was the biggest city going."
He earned All-American Defensive Back honors as a member of the 1989 Division III National Championship football team.
Husted graduated from UD with a Bachelor of Science
degree in education
in 1989 and a Master of Arts
degree in communications in 1992.
, but instead chose to work for a congressional campaign after it resulted in a paycheck. He then stayed in the Dayton area and worked for Montgomery County Commissioner Don Lucas and later as Vice-President of Business and Economic Development at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. He ran for state representative in 2000 and won in a five way race. In the Ohio House, Husted teamed up with fellow State Representatives Kevin DeWine
and Tom Raga
to win the speakership. Claims were made that Husted's rise had a "dark side," as he was aided with assistance from a special interest group who pushed Husted and promised large bonuses and contracts to consultants if he was made speaker.However Husted championed a campaign-finance bill in the Ohio congress that forced more disclosure from issue advocacy groups, like the one that allegedly provided him with assistance.
After serving four terms in the legislature and becoming term limited, in 2008 Husted was elected to the Ohio Senate representing the 6th district. He also served as the co-chair in Ohio for the McCain for President campaign that year. In 2009, he announced his candidacy for Ohio Secretary of State.
On November 2, 2010 Sen. Husted was elected with a strong majority to the office of Ohio Secretary of State, defeating Franklin County, OH Clerk of Courts Maryellen O'Shaughnessy. He is the second former speaker of the Ohio House to be elected Secretary of State, and the first since 1905. He resigned his Senate seat late in 2010 in order to take his new office.
, resulted in a civil registry instead of a civil window in which to bring suit past the designated statute of limitations
In 2007, Claudia Vercellotti of the "Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests," or SNAP, and others sued several members of the Ohio House, including Husted, for alleged obstruction during the hearings held regarding S.B. 17. Their claim was that because of alleged obstruction during the hearings, a violation of Ohio Revised Code, the House actions on Am. Sub. S. B. No. 17 should be ruled invalid. The actions, Vercelloti v. Husted and Frondorf v. Husted, were ultimately dismissed.
as his official residence. However, someone discovered that house had a stack of newspapers going back six weeks on his front porch, with cobwebs forming over the front window. Husted would admit he spent much of his time in Upper Arlington
, a suburb of Columbus
, with his family.
A divided local election panel sent the issue to the state, where the Secretary of State's office ultimately cast a vote which broke the tie, deciding that Husted was not a resident of the district he represented, based on utility bills which highlighted his official residence hadn't been used for quite some time. In October 2009, the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously reversed the decision of the Secretary of State, saying that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
acted "erroneously" and "relied exclusively" on a single portion of the law while completely ignoring the rest, and in doing so made an "irrebuttable presumption" that was not constitutionally permissible.
, and he stated in an interview in 2008 he was born in the Detroit area. Husted has actually spent all but the first month of his life in Ohio, when his parents adopted him from a Detroit area orphanage.
|+ Ohio House of Representatives
: 2001-2008
Ohio Senate
: 2009–present
!|Year
!|Office
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!|N
|-
|2000
|Ohio House
|
| |Dick Church, Jr.
| align="right" |18,698
| |38%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |24,593
| |50%
|*
|-
|2002
|Ohio House
|
| |Gabrielle Williamson
| align="right" |12,403
| |36%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |22,468
| |64%
|
|-
|2004
|Ohio House
|
| |John Shady
| align="right" |19,640
| |35%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |36,490
| |65%
|
|-
|2006
|Ohio House
|
| |Unopposed
| align="right" |0
| |0%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |28,339
| |100%
|
|-
|2008
|Ohio Senate
|
| |John Doll
| align="right" |65,216
| |39%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |103,975
| |61%
|
|-
real estate agent. The couple have a toddler daughter, Katie, and an infant daughter Kylie along with his 14-year-old son, Alex, from his first marriage.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
who currently serves as Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
. Previously, he was a member of the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
, representing the 6th district (portions of Montgomery County). He also previously served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
from 2001 to 2009 and Speaker of the House from 2005 to 2009. He was elected Ohio Secretary of State
Ohio Secretary of State
The Secretary of State is responsible for overseeing elections in the State of Ohio. The Secretary of State also is responsible for registering business entities and granting them the authority to do business within the state, registering secured transactions, and granting access to public...
on November 2, 2010, defeating Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
candidate, Franklin County, Ohio Clerk of Courts Maryellen O'Shaughnessy.
Early life
Husted was born in the Detroit area in 1967, and subsequently abandoned by his biological parents. He was later adopted and was raised in Montpelier, Ohio. He was a four sport athlete in high school, although he stated he didn't care for books.Husted was recruited for collegiate football and went on to play cornerback
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...
for the University of Dayton
University of Dayton
The University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
team. He said about arriving in Dayton "I had never been anywhere...I thought Dayton was the biggest city going."
He earned All-American Defensive Back honors as a member of the 1989 Division III National Championship football team.
Husted graduated from UD with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
degree in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in 1989 and a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree in communications in 1992.
Political career
Husted almost took a job coaching football at University of ToledoUniversity of Toledo
The University of Toledo is a public university in Toledo, Ohio, United States. The Carnegie Foundation classified the university as "Doctoral/Research Extensive."-National recognition:...
, but instead chose to work for a congressional campaign after it resulted in a paycheck. He then stayed in the Dayton area and worked for Montgomery County Commissioner Don Lucas and later as Vice-President of Business and Economic Development at the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce. He ran for state representative in 2000 and won in a five way race. In the Ohio House, Husted teamed up with fellow State Representatives Kevin DeWine
Kevin DeWine
Kevin DeWine is Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party, serving since January 2009. Previously, he was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives....
and Tom Raga
Tom Raga
Thomas A. Raga is an American politician of the Republican Party who previously represented the Sixty-seventh District in the Ohio House of Representatives. In February 2006, he was named by J. Kenneth Blackwell as his running mate in the May 2, 2006, primary for Governor and Lieutenant Governor...
to win the speakership. Claims were made that Husted's rise had a "dark side," as he was aided with assistance from a special interest group who pushed Husted and promised large bonuses and contracts to consultants if he was made speaker.However Husted championed a campaign-finance bill in the Ohio congress that forced more disclosure from issue advocacy groups, like the one that allegedly provided him with assistance.
After serving four terms in the legislature and becoming term limited, in 2008 Husted was elected to the Ohio Senate representing the 6th district. He also served as the co-chair in Ohio for the McCain for President campaign that year. In 2009, he announced his candidacy for Ohio Secretary of State.
On November 2, 2010 Sen. Husted was elected with a strong majority to the office of Ohio Secretary of State, defeating Franklin County, OH Clerk of Courts Maryellen O'Shaughnessy. He is the second former speaker of the Ohio House to be elected Secretary of State, and the first since 1905. He resigned his Senate seat late in 2010 in order to take his new office.
Pedophilia legislation controversy
In 2006, the Ohio Senate passed a piece of legislation, S.B. 17, in favor of granting new rights to victims of pedophilia, however, Husted and his associates in the House were accused of gutting the legislation upon its arrival after allegedly being lobbied by Catholic Bishops. House bill Am. Sub. S. B. No. 17, written by Bill SeitzBill Seitz
Bill Seitz is a Republican member of the Ohio Senate, who has represented the 8th District since his appointment in October 2007. He was a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 until 2007.-Career:...
, resulted in a civil registry instead of a civil window in which to bring suit past the designated statute of limitations
SNAP lawsuit
In 2007, Claudia Vercellotti of the "Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests," or SNAP, and others sued several members of the Ohio House, including Husted, for alleged obstruction during the hearings held regarding S.B. 17. Their claim was that because of alleged obstruction during the hearings, a violation of Ohio Revised Code, the House actions on Am. Sub. S. B. No. 17 should be ruled invalid. The actions, Vercelloti v. Husted and Frondorf v. Husted, were ultimately dismissed.
Steel Development LLC controversy
On February 22, 2008, after delaying legislation, the House, under Husted's leadership was blamed, by Ted Strickland, for costing the state a chance at a $1 billion investment worth 500 jobs in southern Ohio from a steel consortium group called Steel Development LLC, which included European investors.Residency scandal
In October 2008, Husted became the subject of an electoral investigation concerning his residency. He has long claimed a home in KetteringKettering, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 57,502 people, 25,657 households, and 15,727 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,077.4 people per square mile . There were 26,936 housing units at an average density of 1,441.6 per square mile...
as his official residence. However, someone discovered that house had a stack of newspapers going back six weeks on his front porch, with cobwebs forming over the front window. Husted would admit he spent much of his time in Upper Arlington
Upper Arlington, Ohio
Upper Arlington is a suburban city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States, on the northwest side of the Columbus metropolitan area. The population was 33,686 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, a suburb of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, with his family.
A divided local election panel sent the issue to the state, where the Secretary of State's office ultimately cast a vote which broke the tie, deciding that Husted was not a resident of the district he represented, based on utility bills which highlighted his official residence hadn't been used for quite some time. In October 2009, the Ohio Supreme Court unanimously reversed the decision of the Secretary of State, saying that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner
Jennifer Brunner
Jennifer Lee Brunner is an American politician of the Democratic Party who served as the Ohio Secretary of State. Brunner was the first woman to serve in this capacity. She took office after sixteen years of Republican control, which included two four-year terms by her predecessor J. Kenneth...
acted "erroneously" and "relied exclusively" on a single portion of the law while completely ignoring the rest, and in doing so made an "irrebuttable presumption" that was not constitutionally permissible.
Nativity confusion
Husted claims on his 2010 campaign website he is a native of Ohio, however, other sources claim he was actually born in Royal Oak, MichiganRoyal Oak, Michigan
Royal Oak is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is a suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 57,236. It should not be confused with Royal Oak Charter Township, a separate community located nearby....
, and he stated in an interview in 2008 he was born in the Detroit area. Husted has actually spent all but the first month of his life in Ohio, when his parents adopted him from a Detroit area orphanage.
Electoral history
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em ; font-size:95%"|+ Ohio House of Representatives
Ohio House of Representatives
The Ohio House of Representatives is the lower house of the Ohio General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio; the other house of the bicameral legislature being the Ohio Senate....
: 2001-2008
Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
: 2009–present
!|Year
!|Office
!
!|Democrat
!|Votes
!|Pct
!
!|Republican
!|Votes
!|Pct
!|N
|-
|2000
|Ohio House
|
| |Dick Church, Jr.
| align="right" |18,698
| |38%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |24,593
| |50%
|*
|-
|2002
|Ohio House
|
| |Gabrielle Williamson
| align="right" |12,403
| |36%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |22,468
| |64%
|
|-
|2004
|Ohio House
|
| |John Shady
| align="right" |19,640
| |35%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |36,490
| |65%
|
|-
|2006
|Ohio House
|
| |Unopposed
| align="right" |0
| |0%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |28,339
| |100%
|
|-
|2008
|Ohio Senate
|
| |John Doll
| align="right" |65,216
| |39%
|
| |Jon Husted
| align="right" |103,975
| |61%
|
|-
Family
In 2006 Husted married his wife Tina, a ColumbusColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
real estate agent. The couple have a toddler daughter, Katie, and an infant daughter Kylie along with his 14-year-old son, Alex, from his first marriage.
External links
- Senator Jon Husted at Ohio Senate
- Husted for Ohio - Campaign website
- Representative Jon A. Husted (OH) at Project Vote Smart
- Follow the Money - Jon Husted
- 2006 2004 2002 HD-37 2002 HD-412000 campaign contributions