Ohio Republican Senate nominee?
$91.8K
MAY 6, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current roleJudge
PartyRepublican
Political ideologyConservative Republican
Age64 years old (Mar 15, 1962)
GenderFemale
Show moreShow less
LocationOhio
BackgroundJurist
EducationUniversity of Cincinnati (BA)
Notable personal detailsSharon L. Kennedy is an American jurist who has served as chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court since 2023, after serving as an associate justice from 2012 to 2022. Before joining the state high court, she was a judge on the Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, including as its administrative judge. Earlier in her career she worked as a police officer in Hamilton, Ohio, and later practiced law and served as special counsel in the Ohio Attorney General’s office. She earned a BA and JD from the University of Cincinnati.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Sharon L. Kennedy has taken positions that limit government taxing authority (for example dissenting against municipal taxation of nonresidents) and has worked with local officials and private-sector groups on budget and fiscal policies. Her record and endorsements from business groups indicate a pro-business, fiscally conservative orientation on taxation and government spending.
Healthcare
Sharon L. Kennedy has emphasized mental-health treatment, specialized dockets for substance use and mental-health disorders, and support for veterans’ access to care and reentry services; she has not published a detailed platform on broader health‑care policy (ACA, Medicare, public option, or privatization).
Show moreShow less
Abortion & Reproductive Rights
Sharon Kennedy has participated in events hosted by anti-abortion organizations and has been criticized for those appearances while serving on the Ohio Supreme Court. She joined a majority decision that had the effect of stopping a Toledo abortion clinic from performing abortions. Her public actions align with support for restrictions on abortion access rather than an unrestricted-access position.
Public Safety & Guns
Sharon L. Kennedy has been publicly described and endorsed by pro-gun organizations and portrayed as a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights; she has a history as a former police officer and holds an Ohio Concealed Handgun License. As a justice she has emphasized upholding existing law and improving reporting systems to keep firearms out of the hands of persons legally disqualified. Her public materials and endorsements indicate support for gun ownership rights while emphasizing law enforcement and compliance with prohibitions.
News
Sharon Kennedy is in the news in connection with scrutiny of spending in the Ohio Supreme Court race. A study by Common Cause Ohio and the Ohio Fair Courts Alliance reported that out-of-state money heavily influenced the 2024 contest, with about $4 million of $6 million in advertising linked to wealthy individuals. The report is fueling discussion about who is financing the race and how that money shapes the campaign.
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
- Polls
- Endorsements
- Fundraising