Former Ohio House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson. (Photo from Ohio House website.)

Jo Ann Davidson, the first female Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, died on Friday. She was 97. 

She served in the Ohio House from 1980 to 2001 and was the speaker from 1995 to 2000. 

“Jo Ann dedicated her life to public service and the people of Ohio, a model public servant who was full of wit, intelligence, class, and skill,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “She was a trailblazer in the truest sense.”

Davidson was born Sept. 28, 1927. Her family moved to Findlay after her dad died where she graduated high school in 1945 and got a clerical job with the Findlay Chamber of Commerce, according to a profile in Bowling Green State University’s ‘Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics’ series.

She married her John husband in 1949 and they eventually moved to Reynoldsburg. She worked at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce as a Research Associate before going on to become Director of Legislative Services and Vice President of Special Programs. 

Davidson first ran for a seat on Reynoldsburg City Council in 1965 and lost, but ran again in 1967 and won. She went on to be re-elected four times. Despite losing her race for Franklin County Recorder in 1972, she became Chair of the Franklin County Republican Party in 1973. 

A vacancy in the 27th District of the Ohio House of Representative in 1980 paved the way for Davidson to get in the Ohio Statehouse. She became the Minority Whip in 1985 and was elected Minority Leader in 1993. She became Speaker of the House in 1995 when the Republicans took control of the House. 

Davidson made history when she was elected Speaker of the House. She was the first woman to become speaker of the house in the country and she remains the only woman to serve as Ohio Speaker of the House. 

“As a true trailblazer, Speaker Davidson’s legacy is one of strength, grace, and servant leadership,” Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, said in a statement. “She fostered a culture of mentorship that changed the lives of many for the better.”

Republican Senate President Matt Huffman said Davidson was an inspiration. 

“Her legacy will forever pave the way for women who have an interest in serving their state,” Huffman said in a statement. “She was a role model for women, but in a greater capacity, she was a role model for future leaders.” 

Ohio House Democratic Leader Allison Russo said Davidson was a force of nature who shattered glass ceilings for countless women, including herself.

“As the first and only female Speaker of the Ohio House, she was an incredibly strong and skilled leader who knew never to back down from a fight when it mattered most to the people of Ohio,” Russo said. “She will always be a role model for so many women in public service on both sides of the aisle. My thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, and former colleagues as they grieve her loss.”

In 2000, she founded the Jo Ann Davidson Leadership Institute, which graduated more than 500 Ohio women. The eight-month program trained women to take on government leadership roles, specifically in the Republican Party. 

“Over the decades, Jo Ann was committed to making a difference in people’s lives and was especially passionate about inspiring other women to do the same,” DeWine said in his statement. 

Sen. Michele Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, went through the Jo Ann Davidson Leadership Institute in 2018. 

“Learning from a trailblazer like her has been a true honor,” Reynolds said in a statement. “Jo Ann is not just a history maker; she is a change maker who has inspired countless women.” 

Davidson was inducted into the Ohio Women’s Hall of Fame in 1991. She served as vice chair on the Ohio Turnpike Commission and as a member of the Franklin County Mental Health Board. Davidson also was elected to serve as co-chair of the Republican National Committee in 2005. 

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