Willis Blackshear Jr.
2023 - Present
2024
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Willis Blackshear Jr. (Democratic Party) is a member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing District 38. He assumed office on January 1, 2023. His current term ends on December 31, 2024.
Blackshear (Democratic Party) is running for election to the Ohio State Senate to represent District 6. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. He advanced from the Democratic primary on March 19, 2024.
Blackshear completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Willis Blackshear Jr. was born in Dayton, Ohio. Blackshear earned a B.A. in political science from Wright State University. His career experience includes working as an outreach specialist with the Montgomery County Auditor's Office.[1]
Committee assignments
2023-2024
Blackshear was assigned to the following committees:
2021-2022
Blackshear was assigned to the following committees:
- Commerce and Labor Committee
- Criminal Justice Committee
- Infrastructure and Rural Development Committee
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2024
See also: Ohio State Senate elections, 2024
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Ohio State Senate District 6
Willis Blackshear Jr. and Charlotte McGuire are running in the general election for Ohio State Senate District 6 on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Willis Blackshear Jr. (D)  | |
 | Charlotte McGuire (R) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio State Senate District 6
Willis Blackshear Jr. defeated Jocelyn Rhynard and Jyl Hall in the Democratic primary for Ohio State Senate District 6 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Willis Blackshear Jr. | 46.3 | 10,421 |
 | Jocelyn Rhynard | 30.8 | 6,943 | |
 | Jyl Hall | 22.9 | 5,152 | |
| Total votes: 22,516 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ohio State Senate District 6
Charlotte McGuire advanced from the Republican primary for Ohio State Senate District 6 on March 19, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Charlotte McGuire | 100.0 | 18,453 |
| Total votes: 18,453 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Ryan Riddell (R)
Campaign finance
Endorsements
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2022
See also: Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2022
General election
General election for Ohio House of Representatives District 38
Incumbent Willis Blackshear Jr. won election in the general election for Ohio House of Representatives District 38 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Willis Blackshear Jr. (D) | 100.0 | 20,205 |
| Total votes: 20,205 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 38
Incumbent Willis Blackshear Jr. advanced from the Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 38 on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Willis Blackshear Jr. | 100.0 | 2,446 |
| Total votes: 2,446 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
2020
See also: Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2020
General election
General election for Ohio House of Representatives District 39
Willis Blackshear Jr. defeated John Ferrell Mullins III in the general election for Ohio House of Representatives District 39 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Willis Blackshear Jr. (D) | 79.3 | 31,583 |
 | John Ferrell Mullins III (R) | 20.7 | 8,269 | |
| Total votes: 39,852 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 39
Willis Blackshear Jr. defeated Jo'el Jones and Walter James Hickman Jr. in the Democratic primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 39 on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Willis Blackshear Jr. | 68.9 | 5,478 |
| Jo'el Jones | 20.7 | 1,646 | |
| Walter James Hickman Jr. | 10.4 | 826 | |
| Total votes: 7,950 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 39
John Ferrell Mullins III advanced from the Republican primary for Ohio House of Representatives District 39 on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | John Ferrell Mullins III | 100.0 | 889 |
| Total votes: 889 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Willis Blackshear Jr. completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Blackshear's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a lifelong Dayton-area resident whose career has been dedicated to serving Montgomery County. After graduating from Trotwood-Madison High School and Wright State University, I worked at the Montgomery County Board of Elections and the Montgomery County Auditor’s Office. I am currently serving in my second term as State Representative for Ohio’s 38th House District, which includes the City of Dayton, Riverside, and parts of Huber Heights. Over the last several years, I have helped to secure nearly $23 million in funding for important programs and organizations in Montgomery County, including the Dayton Boys and Girls Club, Levitt Pavilion, the Dayton YWCA, the Dayton Ronald McDonald House, the Dayton Dragons, and many others. I've stood up to GOP extremism and focused on on issues of workforce development, housing, and public safety.
- As I have in the State House, I’ll continue to fight for more investments in making sure that our young people have the training and skills they need for the jobs of the future. There’s no reason that the next Intel or Honda plant can’t come to Montgomery County and I’ll push to make sure that when it does, our workers are ready.
- In the State House, I’ve been proud to stand up against Republican attacks on our freedoms. I fought against the August special election last year that tried to undermine our democracy and attacks on Ohioans reproductive rights. In the Senate, I will continue standing up for Ohioans’ freedoms.
- Our community needs a State Senator who understands the Statehouse and get get to work from day one delivering for Montgomery County. I’ve brought more than $23 million to projects here in our community since 2020. In the state Senate, I will keep fighting to make sure investments like these come here to benefit families, schools, and small businesses.
Whether you live in Dayton, Kettering, Centerville, or anywhere else in this district - we all want the same thing. A strong, safe community where you can raise a family. It’s time we had a State Senator who got that. If elected, I’ll get up every morning ready to fight for people here in Montgomery County, just as I have over the last several years as a State Representative. I know that our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. I will stand up for families in Montgomery County to ensure that regardless of where you live or what you look like, you have a shot at the American dream here in Ohio.
We need a State Senator who is looking out for Montgomery County, not themselves. For years we've been underserved by a State Senator who has been looking out for himself and his special interest donors. In light of the corruption scandal we've seen at the Ohio Statehouse, we need someone in this office who is waking up every day committed to delivering for Montgomery County families and who will fight special interests.
As elected officials, we have the privilege to serve those who elect us. We cannot forget that. Our job is to fight for our communities and stand up for the values that our important to us.
I love my community, and would like to leave it better off than when I was first elected. It is an honor to get to serve in elected office and I can only hope that the actions I take in the statehouse have a real impact on people's lives.
Both should be working for the people of Ohio and finding common ground on smart policies that help our state. Unfortunately, that isn't currently what we see from Gov. DeWine and GOP leadership.
We need to keep our talented young people here and attract even more with good opportunities. That means investing in workforce development and small businesses and blocking dangerous GOP policies like banning abortion or discriminating against LGBTQ Ohioans.
Absolutely. We need more legislators who understand our system and can advocate for their constituents.
Yes - I've worked hard to build relationships with Democrats AND Republicans in the State House. I am especially proud to have a good working relationship with Republican state House members from neighboring districts so we can work on shared priorities, even if we don't always agree.
I will introduce my bill from the State House - the Neighborhood Protection Act, which will crack down on shady slum lords and make housing more affordable.
Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6
Ohio Legislative Black Caucus
Run for Something
Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio
Dayton Mayor Jeffrey J. Mims Jr.
Jefferson Twp. Trustee Sheila Back
Montgomery County Recorder Stacey Benson-Taylor
Former Dayton Mayor Clay Dixon
Dayton Municipal Clerk of Courts Martin Gehres
The Honorable Barbara P. Gorman, Retired
Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith
Montgomery County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman
Former Dayton Municipal Clerk of Courts and Montgomery County Democratic Party Chair Mark Owens
Dayton School Board Member Dion Sampson
Dayton City Commissioner Chris Shaw
Dayton School Board Member Karen Wick Gagn
In the State House, I currently serve on the Economic and Workforce Development, Finance, Homeland Security, and Infrastructure Committees. In the State Senate I hope to continue working on these issues.
The more the better. In the State House, I've watched the as the repercussions of the largest corruption scandal in Ohio history unfold. We need to work to rebuild trust and put in place real accountability and transparency in state government to stop this corruption.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2022
Willis Blackshear Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Willis Blackshear Jr. did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
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2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Ohio State Legislature was in session from January 2 to December 31.
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2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Ohio State Legislature was in session from January 19 to December 15.
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2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Ohio State Legislature was in session from January 4 to December 31.
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See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate Ohio State Senate District 6 |
Officeholder Ohio House of Representatives District 38 |
Personal |
Footnotes
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Bill Roemer (R) |
Ohio House of Representatives District 38 2023-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Fred Strahorn (D) |
Ohio House of Representatives District 39 2021-2022 |
Succeeded by Phil Plummer (R) |
