COLUMBUS (1-1-23) — State Sen. Nickie Antonio (D) will become the first openly gay minority leader in the Ohio Senate when the new two-year legislative session begins on Wednesday.

In 2010, she became the first openly gay member elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. She was the first LGBTQ member to hold a leadership position when she was elected House minority whip. In 2018, she became the first woman to hold the Senate District 23 seat, and she was first member of the LGBTQ community elected to the Ohio Senate.

Senator Antonio’s District includes Lakewood, Parma, Parma Heights, Bratenahl, and Cleveland Communities including:
Ohio City, Tremont, Goodrich-Kirtland, Hough, Central, Downtown, Collinwood, Cudell, Brooklyn, Clark Fulton, Detroit Shoreway, Bellaire-Puritas, and Westpark.

In 2023 there will be just seven Democrats in the 33-member state Senate. The Senate President is Matt Huffman, a Republican from Lima.