COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) is stepping down from her position in leadership at the end of the month.
“Serving as the Ohio House Minority leader for the last three and a half years has been an incredible honor,” Russo said in a statement.
“Over the last few years, my colleagues and I have stood strong in the face of attacks on our most basic rights and values, and despite tough odds we were successful in standing up for all Ohioans,” she said. “We preserved our right to direct democracy against an attempt to raise the citizen ballot initiative threshold to 60 percent. We fought to fund public schools and speak out against the dangerous private school voucher program. We stood up for the rights of working Ohioans and so much more.”
Russo said she is stepping down to give the next leadership team a chance to plan caucus priorities after this budget cycle.
“I will continue to fully support our Caucus in all of those efforts, but I will do it in an advisory role so that I can focus on completing the policy work I am most passionate about and serving my district,” she said.
She said she looks forward to spending the summer with her son who just graduated high school before he heads off to college.
“Any decisions regarding my political future, will come at a later time.”
Russo is in the middle of her fourth term as a representative and has served as minority leader since 2022.
Russo has a background in public health, and has long championed issues in that realm. She has opposed measures like removing fluoride from public water and has made things like funding childcare a priority.
The Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, Liz Walters, thanked Russo for her time in leadership.
“I will miss her leadership in the statehouse, but I can’t wait to see how she continues to fight for our state,” Walters said in a statement.
Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) called Russo a great friend and a role model, touting her leadership during “some very troubling times in our state government.”
Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio said she enjoyed working with Russo and looks forward to working with the next House minority leader.
“I think this position in many ways is the face of the Democratic Party at the state level,” said David Pepper, a Democratic strategist.
Pepper said a new House minority leader and state party chair could bring new ideas to the table.
What is next for Russo?
Right now, Ohio only has one statewide elected Democrat, Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, so Russo has long been considered the top Democrat in the state. Walters previously announced that she will be stepping down from her role as the chair of the Ohio Democratic Party before the end of the month. Russo has said she is not interested in the position.
Russo has not officially committed to any statewide run yet, but has also not shunned the possibility. Some speculate that she will run for Ohio governor, or join someone’s ticket as lieutenant governor.
“I do not think my time in public service is done,” Russo said in May. “But I have not made a decision about what it means for 2026. I promise you all will be the first to know if we do.”
What’s next for House Democrats?
The caucus will meet behind closed doors to choose who their next leader will be. Once they take an unofficial vote behind closed doors, an official vote and swearing in will happen on the House floor.
The house minority leader often serves as the liaison between their caucus and the House Speaker. The house minority leader also leads in setting the caucus’ agenda, largely speaks for the caucus, decides which committees members are assigned to, and leads discussions between members.
