LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — A large crowd turned out for the Allen County GOP’s monthly luncheon as Republican candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court discussed their desire to run for election.
Second District Court of Appeals Judge Ron Lewis, Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge Andrew King, and former Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Colleen O’Donnell joined Allen County Republicans to campaign for the upcoming election.
The three Republican candidates are challenging incumbent Justice Jennifer Brunner for her seat, which is up for election at the end of the year. Brunner is also the sole Democrat on the Ohio Supreme Court. During the luncheon, each candidate spoke about why they want to serve on Ohio’s highest court.
"I want to interpret the law in a fair and impartial way, quite simply. I'm what's called an originalist and a textualist, which means I believe that a judge should interpret the law and not write the law, and if there is something wrong with the law, then the legislature should fix it, not a judge," says Ron Lewis, Republican candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Justice.
"I'm running to put a constitutional conservative. I think we need judges that follow the Constitution, adhere to the law, let the legislature passes. We don't want judges that legislate from the bench. One of the things I would like to see is to continue to increase the time that the courts around the state get decisions out," says Andrew King, Republican candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Justice.
"Between serving in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, where I tried well over 100 cases to verdict and put hundreds of felons behind bars, and I previously served as an Immigration judge. I have great reverence for our justice system here in the State of Ohio and across the country, and I'd like to bring a constitutionally conservative voice to the court for the next generation," says Colleen O'Donnell, Republican candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Justice.
Republican Jill Lanzinger will also run in the May 5 primary for the justice seat.
