Brian Stewart (politician)

Last updated

Letanya Myers
(m. 2004)
Brian Stewart
Member of the OhioHouseofRepresentatives
from the 12th district
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Children3
Education Ohio State University (BA, JD)
Military service
Branch/serviceFlag of the United States Army.svg United States Army
Battles/wars Iraq War

Brian Stewart is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 12th district.

Contents

Early life and education

Stewart enlisted in the United States Army after graduating from Chillicothe High School in Chillicothe, Ohio. [1] After serving in the infantry during the Iraq War, Stewart returned to Ohio, earning a bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor from Ohio State University. [2]

Political career

Stewart was elected to Village Council of Ashville, Ohio in November 2009. He earned 23.3% of the vote in the five-way, non-partisan race. [3] In 2012, Stewart ran for Pickaway County, Ohio commissioner. He won the Republican nomination by securing 59.1% of the vote and went on to win the three-way general election with 44.6%. [4] He was reelected to the position in 2016, with 58.3% of the vote. [5]

Stewart was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in November 2020, succeeding incumbent Republican Ron Hood. He defeated Democrat Charlotte Owens in 2020, winning 72.7% to 27.3%. [6] Less than six months after beginning his term, Stewart announced that he would run for United States Congress, representing Ohio's 15th congressional district. [1] Stewart dropped out of the race before election day citing a lack of resources. [7]

2023 constitutional referendum

Stewart was the creator of a proposed constitutional amendment that would have raised the threshold of a voter-led initiatives to amend the Constitution of Ohio from 50% to 60%. [8] The measure failed with 57% voting "No" and 43% voting "Yes."

136th General Assembly

Stewart defeated Democrat Brad Cotton, winning 72.9% to 27.1%. [9] Stewart was made Finance Chairman of the Ohio House of Representatives for the 136th General Assembly, primarily overseeing Ohio's biennial budget. This budget came at a time of general outrage over steeply-increasing property taxes in Ohio, of which Governor Mike DeWine line-item vetoed a significant amount of proposed changes to Ohio's property tax laws. [10] The biennial budget under Stewart also caused significant controversy for its provision to create a $1.7 billion “Ohio Cultural and Sports Facility” from an unclaimed funds reserve, which included a mandatory $600 million bond to be given to the Cleveland Browns for stadium relocation. [11]

Electoral history

2024 Ohio House District 12 general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart39,36272.85%
Democratic Brad Cotton14,67327.15%
2024 Ohio House District 12 primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart9,53757.15%
Republican Patty Hamilton7,15042.85%
2022 Ohio House District 12 general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart29,57199.62%+26.91%
Write-in Matthew Briner1140.38%
2020 Ohio House District 78 general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart42,31472.71%
Democratic Charlotte Owens15,87827.29%
2020 Ohio House District 78 primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart7,82066.93%
Republican Bobby Mitchell2,93925.16%
Republican Aaron Adams9247.91%
2016 Pickaway County Commissioner general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart13,58058.31%+13.74%
Democratic John R. Ankrom9,70941.69%+10.36%
2012 Pickaway County Commissioner general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart9,83844.57%
Democratic Daniel V. Bradhurst6,91531.33%
Independent Mark G. Perrill5,32224.11%
2012 Pickaway County Commissioner primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Brian Stewart3,83159.12%
Republican Jayme Hartley Fountain2,64940.88%
2009 Village of Ashville Council general election
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Brian Stewart58223.28%
Independent Glenn Cook55822.32%
Independent Gayle Blakenship49119.64%
Independent Keith A. Moore46518.60%
Independent Chester Gloyd40416.16%

References

  1. 1 2 Reutter, Justin. "Chillicothe native Brian Stewart runs for US Congressional seat". Chillicothe Gazette. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  2. "Brian Stewart Biography". Ohio House of Representatives. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  3. "2009 General Election Pickaway County" (PDF). Ohio Board of Elections Archives. November 3, 2009. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  4. "Pickaway County, Ohio General Election November 6, 2012" (PDF). November 6, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  5. "Pickaway County, Ohio General Election November 8, 2016" (PDF). November 8, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  6. "2020 Ohio State House – District 78 Election Results". Milwaukee Journal Sentential.
  7. BeMiller, Haley. "Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart drops out of crowded GOP field for 15th Congressional District election". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  8. "Issue 1 is '100%' about blocking abortion measure, Frank LaRose says". NBC4 WCMH-TV. June 5, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  9. "Gongwer News Service-Ohio". www.gongwer-oh.com. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  10. "Governor DeWine Signs Bills Into Law, Issues Line-Item Vetoes". governor.ohio.gov. Archived from the original on June 25, 2025. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  11. "Ohio governor signs two-year, $60 billion budget that includes funding for Browns' new stadium". NFL.com. Retrieved August 29, 2025.