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 County results Congressional district results Precinct resultsKasich: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% FitzGerald: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% >90% Tie: 50% No data | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The2014 Ohio gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014. IncumbentRepublican governorJohn Kasich won reelection to a second term in office by a landslide overDemocratic candidateEd FitzGerald andGreen Party candidateAnita Rios.Primary elections were held on May 6, 2014.
Despite FitzGerald's massive defeat, he is, as of 2023, the last Democrat to carry the historically DemocraticMonroe County, which voted for Republican candidateMike DeWinefour years later. Kasich'slandslide victory gave him the highest percentage of the vote sinceGeorge Voinovich's win in1994, a large improvement from his narrow victory in2010. As of 2024[update], this was the last time the counties ofCuyahoga andFranklin voted for the Republican candidate and the last timeMonroe County voted for the Democratic candidate.
This was one of the nine Republican-held governorships up for election in a state thatBarack Obama won in the2012 presidential election.
Kasich, who was elected withTea Party supportin 2010, faced considerable backlash from the movement. His decision to accept thePatient Protection and Affordable Care Act's expansion ofMedicaid, his increased spending, taxation offracking on Ohio farmland and perceived failure to go far enough on charter schools and school vouchers caused Tea Party groups to refuse to support his campaign.[1] When Kasich passed over Tea Party leader Tom Zawistowski for the position of executive director of theOhio Republican Party in favor of Matt Borges, who worked with a gay rights group, that was widely seen as the last straw.[2] Tea Party groups announced they would support a primary challenger, or, if none emerged, theLibertarian nominee. Zawistowski said, "John Kasich is going to lose in 2014. We don't care who else wins."[3] Ultimately, Kasich was unopposed in the Republican primary.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Kasich (incumbent) | 559,671 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 559,671 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ed FitzGerald | 366,056 | 83.15 | |
| Democratic | Larry Ealy | 74,197 | 16.85 | |
| Total votes | 440,253 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Anita Rios | 674 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 674 | 100 | ||
Charlie Earl gathered enough raw signatures to obtain ballot access.[22] However, he was removed from the ballot because technical faults in collection rendered many of his signatures invalid. The decision was appealed in federal court.[25]
FitzGerald released a plan for state-funded universal preschool in addition to announcing his support for gay marriage.[28] He criticized Kasich for signing into law income tax cuts that save larger sums of money for wealthier Ohioans than poorer ones, while increasing sales taxes, which tax a larger percentage of income from poorer Ohioans than from wealthier ones.[29] FitzGerald also chided Kasich for a lack of transparency at JobsOhio, the privatized economic development agency that Kasich formed,[30][31][32] and for signing into law bills that cut early voting days and limit the distribution of absentee ballot applications.[33][34] FitzGerald faced several scandals that damaged his candidacy, most notably the revelations that he had driven for several years without a valid driver's license, him being found in a car late at night with a woman who was not his wife, and that his initial running mate, State Sen. Eric Kearney, owed over $1 million in unpaid taxes. Additionally, FitzGerald consistently trailed Kasich in fundraising throughout the entire campaign.[35]
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| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[53] | Solid R | November 3, 2014 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[54] | Safe R | November 3, 2014 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[55] | Safe R | November 3, 2014 |
| Real Clear Politics[56] | Safe R | November 3, 2014 |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Ed FitzGerald (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Columbus Dispatch[57] | October 22–31, 2014 | 1,009 | ± 3.3% | 62% | 34% | — | 4% |
| Fox News[58] | October 28–30, 2014 | 803 | ± 3% | 51% | 36% | 2% | 11% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[59] | October 16–23, 2014 | 2,728 | ± 3% | 54% | 35% | 1% | 10% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[60] | September 20 – October 1, 2014 | 3,082 | ± 2% | 52% | 36% | 1% | 11% |
| Quinnipiac[61] | September 24–29, 2014 | 999 | ± 3.1% | 57% | 35% | 2% | 7% |
| The Columbus Dispatch[62] | September 3–5, 2014 | 1,185 | ± 2.9% | 59% | 29% | 3%[63] | 10% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[64] | August 18 – September 2, 2014 | 2,978 | ± 3% | 50% | 37% | 2% | 11% |
| Rasmussen Reports[65] | September 8–9, 2014 | 780 | ± 4% | 50% | 30% | — | 20% |
| Buckeye Poll[66] | August 31, 2014 | 600 | ± 4% | 46% | 27% | 4% | 23% |
| Public Policy Polling^[67] | August 8–9, 2014 | 801 | ± ? | 50% | 44% | — | 6% |
| Quinnipiac[68] | July 24–28, 2014 | 1,366 | ± 2.7% | 48% | 36% | 1% | 15% |
| CBS News/NYT/YouGov[69] | July 5–24, 2014 | 3,624 | ± ? | 49% | 43% | 1% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling^[70] | July 9–10, 2014 | 889 | ± ? | 45% | 44% | — | 11% |
| Quinnipiac[71] | May 7–12, 2014 | 1,174 | ± 2.9% | 50% | 35% | 1% | 13% |
| Public Policy Polling^[72] | May 9–11, 2014 | 740 | ± ? | 47% | 43% | — | 10% |
| Rasmussen Reports[65] | May 7–8, 2014 | 750 | ± 4% | 45% | 38% | 4% | 13% |
| SurveyUSA[73] | April 24–28, 2014 | 618 | ± 4% | 46% | 36% | 4%[63] | 14% |
| Magellan Strategies[74] | April 14–15, 2014 | 857 | ± 3.35% | 47% | 41% | 5% | 7% |
| Public Policy Polling^[75] | April 14–15, 2014 | 1,050 | ± ? | 44% | 44% | — | 11% |
| Quinnipiac[76] | February 12–17, 2014 | 1,370 | ± 2.7% | 43% | 38% | 1% | 18% |
| Public Policy Polling[77] | December 6–8, 2013 | 1,011 | ± 3.1% | 40% | 38% | 6%[78] | 16% |
| Quinnipiac[79] | November 19–24, 2013 | 1,361 | ± 2.7% | 44% | 37% | 2% | 19% |
| Public Policy Polling^[80] | November 5–6, 2013 | 595 | ± 4% | 41% | 41% | 6%[78] | 13% |
| Public Policy Polling[81] | August 16–19, 2013 | 551 | ± 4.2% | 35% | 38% | — | 27% |
| Quinnipiac[82] | June 18–23, 2013 | 941 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 33% | 1% | 19% |
| Quinnipiac[83] | April 10–15, 2013 | 1,138 | ± 2.9% | 46% | 37% | 1% | 17% |
| Quinnipiac[84] | February 21–26, 2013 | 1,011 | ± 3.1% | 45% | 35% | 1% | 19% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Michael B. Coleman (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling[85] | June 21–24, 2012 | 673 | ± 3.8% | 43% | 36% | — | 22% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Richard Cordray (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac[82] | June 18–23, 2013 | 941 | ± 3.2% | 47% | 36% | 1% | 17% |
| Quinnipiac[83] | April 10–15, 2013 | 1,138 | ± 2.9% | 45% | 38% | 2% | 15% |
| Quinnipiac[84] | February 21–26, 2013 | 1,011 | ± 3.1% | 44% | 38% | 1% | 18% |
| Public Policy Polling[85] | June 21–24, 2012 | 673 | ± 3.8% | 41% | 40% | — | 19% |
| Public Policy Polling[86] | May 3–6, 2012 | 875 | ± 3.3% | 42% | 42% | — | 16% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Larry Ealy (D) | Anita Rios (G) | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SurveyUSA[73] | April 24–28, 2014 | 618 | ± 4% | 50% | 25% | 7% | 18% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Dennis Kucinich (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling[85] | June 21–24, 2012 | 673 | ± 3.8% | 45% | 35% | — | 20% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Tim Ryan (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac[84] | February 21–26, 2013 | 1,011 | ± 3.1% | 44% | 36% | 1% | 19% |
| Public Policy Polling[85] | June 21–24, 2012 | 673 | ± 3.8% | 41% | 33% | — | 26% |
| Public Policy Polling[86] | May 3–6, 2012 | 875 | ± 3.3% | 40% | 41% | — | 19% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Ted Strickland (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling[85] | June 21–24, 2012 | 673 | ± 3.8% | 44% | 42% | — | 14% |
| Public Policy Polling[86] | May 3–6, 2012 | 875 | ± 3.3% | 40% | 47% | — | 12% |
| Public Policy Polling[87] | January 28–29, 2012 | 820 | ± 3.4% | 36% | 56% | — | 8% |
| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | John Kasich (R) | Betty Sutton (D) | Other | Undecided |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quinnipiac[84] | February 21–26, 2013 | 1,011 | ± 3.1% | 45% | 38% | 1% | 16% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | John Kasich (incumbent) | 1,944,848 | 63.64% | +14.60% | |
| Democratic | Ed FitzGerald | 1,009,359 | 33.03% | −14.01% | |
| Green | Anita Rios | 101,706 | 3.33% | +1.81% | |
| Total votes | 3,055,913 | 100.00% | N/A | ||
| Republicanhold | |||||
Kasich won 14 of 16 congressional districts, including two that voted for Democrats.[89]
| District | Kasich | FitzGerald | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 65% | 32% | Steve Chabot |
| 2nd | 69% | 30% | Brad Wenstrup |
| 3rd | 47% | 49% | Joyce Beatty |
| 4th | 71% | 26% | Jim Jordan |
| 5th | 69% | 28% | Bob Latta |
| 6th | 63% | 34% | Bill Johnson |
| 7th | 70% | 27% | Bob Gibbs |
| 8th | 74% | 24% | John Boehner |
| 9th | 52% | 44% | Marcy Kaptur |
| 10th | 65% | 32% | Mike Turner |
| 11th | 35% | 61% | Marcia Fudge |
| 12th | 70% | 27% | Pat Tiberi |
| 13th | 53% | 43% | Tim Ryan |
| 14th | 68% | 29% | David Joyce |
| 15th | 66% | 30% | Steve Stivers |
| 16th | 70% | 27% | Jim Renacci |
Official campaign websites (archived)
