Incumbent
DemocratJennifer L. Brunner
Background and Bio
Jennifer Brunner is from Springfield, Ohio. She earned degrees in sociology and gerontology from Miami University of Ohio and a J.D. from Capital University. As an attorney, she worked in private practice after starting her own law firm. Brunner went on to serve as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge, where she founded the county's adult felony drug court and later served on Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals. She served as Ohio's first female Secretary of State and later won election to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2020, the seat she currently holds. Brunner and her husband, Rick, split their time between homes in Powell and rural Columbiana County. The couple have three children and six grandchildren and have been foster parents to three children.
Policy Issue Summaries
- Judicial Philosophy and Interpretative Approach: Campaign materials and public statements frame Brunner’s judicial approach around the idea that she believes the courts belong to the public. She has argued that a judge's job is to serve as part of "the conscience of the community." During the campaign, she has been openly critical of “originalism” as a method for judicial practice.
- Criminal Justice and Public Safety: Brunner’s campaign has called for a proposal to create a statewide database tracking sentencing, bond decisions, prosecutions, and convictions, broken down by race, gender, income, and other factors. This campaign proposal was meant to serve as a way to bring transparency to disparities in how similar cases are treated across Ohio.
Endorsements
- Cincinnati Women's Political Caucus
- EMILY’s List
- National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC)
- Ohio Citizens Action
- Ohio Federation of Teachers
- Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio
- Ohio Education Association
- AFL-CIO North Shore
- Communication Workers of America District 4
- People for the American Way
Background and Bio
Jennifer Brunner is from Springfield, Ohio. She earned degrees in sociology and gerontology from Miami University of Ohio and a J.D. from Capital University. As an attorney, she worked in private practice after starting her own law firm. Brunner went on to serve as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge, where she founded the county's adult felony drug court and later served on Ohio's Tenth District Court of Appeals. She served as Ohio's first female Secretary of State and later won election to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2020, the seat she currently holds. Brunner and her husband, Rick, split their time between homes in Powell and rural Columbiana County. The couple have three children and six grandchildren and have been foster parents to three children.
Policy Issue Summaries
- Judicial Philosophy and Interpretative Approach: Campaign materials and public statements frame Brunner’s judicial approach around the idea that she believes the courts belong to the public. She has argued that a judge's job is to serve as part of "the conscience of the community." During the campaign, she has been openly critical of “originalism” as a method for judicial practice.
- Criminal Justice and Public Safety: Brunner’s campaign has called for a proposal to create a statewide database tracking sentencing, bond decisions, prosecutions, and convictions, broken down by race, gender, income, and other factors. This campaign proposal was meant to serve as a way to bring transparency to disparities in how similar cases are treated across Ohio.
Endorsements
- Cincinnati Women's Political Caucus
- EMILY’s List
- National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC)
- Ohio Citizens Action
- Ohio Federation of Teachers
- Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio
- Ohio Education Association
- AFL-CIO North Shore
- Communication Workers of America District 4
- People for the American Way
Last Updated:2026-09-24
