The Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee voted to endorse Ohio Supreme Court Justice Joe Deters, Franklin Court of Common Pleas Judge Dan Hawkins, and Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan for the 2024 Ohio Supreme Court elections.
According to Ohio GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou, all three candidates have judicial experience, and their success as prosecutors show that they are committed to fighting crime hard and making Ohio safer for all Ohioans.
“It has been an honor to get to know each of the fine jurists seeking to serve on Ohio’s highest court. Following our thoughtful and deliberative screening process, I am confident that each of these brilliant legal minds will serve the people of Ohio, and the Ohio Constitution, in a manner Ohioans have come to expect from our Republican members of the Ohio Supreme Court,” Chairman Triantafilou said.
The Judicial Screening Committee recommended the endorsement of Deters (pictured above, right) for election, as well as Shanahan (pictured above, middle) , and Hawkins (pictured above, left) to the State Central Committee.
At the Ohio GOP State Central Committee meeting on May 5, the full committee voted on and approved the Judicial Screening Committee recommendations for endorsements.
Deters, a Republican, served as the prosecutor in Hamilton County from 1992 to 1999 and again starting in 2005. He was recently elected to a five-year term in 2020 after serving two terms as Ohio treasurer. Before being elected as Hamilton County prosecutor, Deters served as clerk of courts for Hamilton County.
In December, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed Deters to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court where he currently serves; however, he must run for re-election in 2024.
According to Deters, it honors him to receive the trust and endorsement of the Ohio Republican Party.
“It is critical that the three of us endorsed today are successful in the upcoming election, and the action by the committee today is a step in that direction,” Deters said.
Republican Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Shanahan was the first to announce a bid for a seat on the high court in 2024.
Shanahan has been a Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge since January 2015. Before that, she was a Hamilton County Municipal Court judge for four years, served five years as an assistant prosecutor, and began serving five years as a Butler County assistant prosecutor.
According to Shanahan, the endorsement from the Ohio Republican Party thrills her and she will not let them down.
“I’ve been all over Ohio the past several months and have met many amazing Republican leaders and voters. I look forward to meeting even more voters across this state and telling them how my conservative judicial philosophy will help protect Ohio families and grow our state,” Shanahan said.
Hawkins has been a Franklin County Common Pleas judge since 2019. Before that, he served as a judge for the Franklin County Municipal Court Environmental Division, served for 10 years as director of the Special Victims Unit at the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office, and as an assistant prosecuting attorney at the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to Hawkins, he looks forward to continuing to travel around the state to discuss the importance of the Ohio Supreme Court and the outcome of this election.
“I’m honored to have received the endorsement and full support of the Ohio Republican Party. It is essential that we have justices on the court dedicated to the constitution, upholding the law as it is written, and not legislating from the bench,” Judge Hawkins said.
The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution.
Candidates with the Ohio Republican Party’s endorsement get exclusive access to party information, resources, and other forms of assistance. Prior to the primary elections, the Ohio Republican Party has a history of screening and endorsing judicial candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “Joe Deters” by Paul Norton. CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo “Dan Hawkins” by Judge Dan Hawkins. Photo “Megan Shanahan” by Judge Megan Shanahan. Background Photo “Supreme Court of Ohio” by Sixflashphoto. CC BY-SA 4.0.
