COLUMBUS, Ohio – At the close of the decade, Ohio Democrats showed unexpected strength on the Ohio Supreme Court, with judicial candidates dramatically overperforming their statewide counterparts and bringing their first majority since 1986 just into reach.

The winners in all three races received more than 55% of the vote. Republicans have held a majority on the seven-member Ohio Supreme Court since 1986. In the past two election cycles, a new law required party labels for candidates for supreme court and appellate courts. Republicans swept the supreme court races in 2022 and this year.

With less than a week before Election Day, a national GOP group put $600,000 into races for Ohio Supreme Court.