State Rep. Cecil Thomas called in to The Lincoln Ware Show the day after the 2026 election with what he called “the best news” he could share: Democrats broke the Republican supermajority in the Ohio House.
Thomas, a Cincinnati Democrat who represents the 25th District, joked about his own race first. “I didn’t have an opponent,” he said.
Then he explained what changed. Democrats picked up at least seven House seats, according to the Ohio Capital Journal, leaving Republicans short of the 60 seats needed for a supermajority. Republicans still control both chambers and kept their supermajority in the Senate. With Democrat Amy Acton elected governor, Republicans will need some Democratic votes in the House to override her vetoes.
“Now they’re going to have to compromise with us,” Thomas said, “because they know now they can’t pass anything and get it past Amy without some Democrats saying, ‘OK, let’s work this out.’” He pointed to bills he opposes, including one he described as allowing gun permits for 18-year-olds, and said Democrats also want to revisit how public money goes to private school vouchers.
Thomas gave credit to House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, who he said set a goal of winning at least six seats. “He got seven,” Thomas said. He said the party put resources into races, many of them in northern Ohio.
Lincoln said he hopes the change brings more funding for public schools. Thomas also urged voters to use their party’s sample ballot, saying it helped lesser-known candidates win down-ballot races.
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