Tina Maharath () (born November 30, 1990) is an American politician who served as an Ohio State Senator from the 3rd District from 2019 until 2023. She also served in the Senate Democrats leadership team as Minority Whip.
As a Democrat, Maharath won 2018 election to the Senate in a highly close race with Republican opponent Anne Gonzales, flipping the 3rd Senate District from the Republicans. Maharath's victory represented the first time Ohio Democrats had won a Republican held State Senate seat since 2006. She is also the first Asian-American woman in the Ohio State Legislature and the first Laotian-American elected into public office.
Maharath lost re-election in 2022 to Michele Reynolds.
Personal life Maharath is from Whitehall, Ohio, the daughter of Laotian refugees. Her father served the U.S. Army under the Laos Army while her mother worked as a nurse in the Laos Army. Maharath is a third-generation politician, and the first woman to hold office in her family. Maharath has a Bachelor's degree in political science and a Master's degree in Law, Justice and Culture from Ohio University.
Ohio State Senate In 2018, Maharath was elected to the Ohio State Senate by 705 votes. During her time in the Senate she sponsored legislation that would prohibit conversion therapy for minors, create an Asian-American and Pacific Islander Affairs Commission, and designate Maternal Mortality Awareness Month.
During her time in the Senate, she had been elected by her fellow Democratic colleagues to their leadership team as Assistant Minority Whip then Minority Whip. In the 2022 election, Maharath lost to Republican Michele Reynolds.
Committee assignments Source:
Committee on Financial Institutions and Technology (Ranking Member) Local Government and Elections (Ranking Member) Agriculture and Natural Resources Insurance Rules and Reference Transportation
Committees served under the 133rd General Assembly: Local Government, Veterans Affair, Public Safety (Ranking Member) Higher Education Transportation, Commerce and Workforce Health, Human Services and Medicaid Education Agriculture and Natural Resources
Electoral history Election resultsYearOfficeElectionVotes for Maharath%OpponentPartyVotes%2018Ohio State SenatePrimary11,46271.81Katherine ChippsDemocratic4,50028.19General66,43850.27Anne GonzalesRepublican65,73349.732022Ohio State SenateGeneral56,02347.58Michele ReynoldsRepublican61,72352.42
References