Ohio State Representative, District 78
November 3, 2026 · general election · District 78 · 2 candidates with a page
The seat is held. Speaker Matt Huffman (R) has held this seat since January 1, 2025, after previously representing District 4 from 2007 to 2014 and Ohio Senate District 12 from 2017 to 2024, and is running for re-election, so the seat remains held.
Sources: Ohio House of Representatives District 78 · Representative Matt Huffman - District 78
About this district
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Chamber | District | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio House | Ohio House, Ohio's 78th District | Ohio State Representative, District 78 |
Last time, 2024: Matt Huffman (Republican) 100.0% · 41,369 votes.
Sources: 2024 Official Election Results · LaRose certifies official 2024 general election results
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by surname. Ohio rotates the order candidates appear in by precinct, so no order on this page is the order on a ballot.
- Organized 300 volunteers as an executive at one of the country's largest air museums. (per campaign)
- Works with youth agriculture programs, recovery advocacy, and mentoring at local schools in Allen County. (per campaign)
- Lima, Ohio. (per campaign)
7 of 11 sections researched · 8 sources
- Partner, the law firm Huffman, Kelley, Becker and Brock.
- Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives, since January 6, 2025.
- President, Lima City Council, 1998 to 2006.
8 of 11 sections researched · 26 sources
Jeffrey R. Givan
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | researched |
| claims | not researched |
| record | not researched |
| money | researched |
| interests | not researched |
| polling | not researched |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | researched |
| sources | researched |
Matt Huffman
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Section | State |
|---|---|
| profile | researched |
| ballot | researched |
| positions | researched |
| claims | not researched |
| record | researched |
| money | researched |
| interests | not researched |
| polling | not researched |
| elections | researched |
| endorsements | researched |
| sources | researched |
The race in pictures
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Status |
|---|
| None found in the records checked |
A note on our coverage
Read before the columns: where one candidate has more entries than another, this says which of the two reasons it is.
Endorsements received: Matt Huffman has 5 entries and Jeffrey R. Givan has 1 entry. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Matt Huffman's record in office has 5 entries and Jeffrey R. Givan's has 0. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Sources: Matt Huffman has 15 entries and Jeffrey R. Givan has 5 entries. The difference reflects the length of each public record and the depth of our research; it is not a judgment.
Jump to a candidate
- Jeffrey R. Givan: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
- Matt Huffman: Where they stand · What they have said, checked · Record in office · Money
Where they stand
Their own words, by issue, with the date, the venue and the link. A paraphrase is marked as one.
Abortion
Jeffrey R. Givan
Voters enshrined reproductive rights in the constitution, and Columbus immediately went to work trying to narrow them.
Source: Jeffrey R. Givan
Matt Huffman
None found in the records checked
Data centers
Jeffrey R. Givan
I'll vote for a statewide pause on new large-scale data centers until that research is done and those protections are law.
Source: Economy
Matt Huffman
None found in the records checked
Education
Jeffrey R. Givan
Ohio's public schools are in crisis, and it didn't happen by accident. The legislature passed a bipartisan plan to finally fund our schools fairly, then broke its own promise.
Source: Jeffrey R. Givan
Matt Huffman
None found in the records checked
Elections and voting
Jeffrey R. Givan
The legislature drew maps the courts struck down seven times, then used them anyway.
Source: Jeffrey R. Givan
Matt Huffman
None found in the records checked
Jobs and the economy
Jeffrey R. Givan
Wages lag behind the national average by more than five dollars an hour. Nearly one in four Lima residents lives below the poverty line.
Source: Jeffrey R. Givan
Matt Huffman
None found in the records checked
Property taxes
Jeffrey R. Givan
None found in the records checked
Matt Huffman
Through this package of bills, Ohioans will begin to see real and direct relief from rising property taxes,
Source: Ohio House Concurs on Slate of Property Tax Reform Bills
School choice
Jeffrey R. Givan
They cut $2.75 billion from what was owed, shifted the cost onto your property taxes, and funneled over a billion dollars a year into private school vouchers with zero accountability.
Source: Jeffrey R. Givan
Matt Huffman
None found in the records checked
Taxes
Jeffrey R. Givan
None found in the records checked
Matt Huffman
Through responsible policies and investments, including the elimination of Ohio’s estate tax, flattening the personal income tax, business income deductions, regulatory reform, free market energy creation, substantial support for vocational training, tools for state and local economic development, and much more, we have continued to make Ohio the best place to live, work, raise a family, and do business.
Why they are running
Jeffrey R. Givan
None found in the records checked
Matt Huffman
I was born and raised in Lima, not far from where my wife, Sheryl, and I raised our four children. I am a local attorney, and have been elected to serve my community on city council, and in the State House and Senate.
Source: Matt Huffman for Ohio House
What they have said, checked
Newest first. Each check is shown in the checker's own rating word, with their name, the date and the link.
Jeffrey R. Givan
Not yet researched
Matt Huffman
Not yet researched
Record in office
Dated actions. Any evaluation of an action is printed with the name of whoever made it and the link.
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Person | Date | Kind | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huffman (R) | 1992 | office | Member, Lima City Council |
| Huffman (R) | 2007 | office | Ohio State Representative, District 4 |
| Huffman (R) | 2017 | office | Ohio State Senator, District 12 |
| Huffman (R) | 2025-01-01 | office | Ohio State Representative, District 78 |
| Huffman (R) | 2025-04-09 | vote | 2025-04-09 (vote): Voted yes on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House-passed version) (House Bill 96); the House vote was 60-39 and |
| Huffman (R) | 2025-06-11 | vote | 2025-06-11 (vote): Voted no on whether the House would concur in the Senate's amendments to the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bi |
| Huffman (R) | 2025-06-25 | vote | 2025-06-25 (vote): Voted yes on the conference committee report on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bill 96); the House vote wa |
| Huffman (R) | 2025-07-21 | vote | 2025-07-21 (vote): Voted to override the governor's veto of item 66 in House Bill 96; the item removed local authority to place replacement property-tax levies |
| Huffman (R) | 2026-06-10 | vote | 2026-06-10 (vote): Voted yes on adopting the joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to require identification to vote, placing it on the Novembe |
Jeffrey R. Givan
Not yet researched
Matt Huffman
-
June 10, 2026 · vote
Voted yes on adopting the joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to require identification to vote, placing it on the November 3, 2026 ballot as Issue 3 (Senate Joint Resolution 10); the House vote was 62-30 and the motion passed.
Sources: Senate Joint Resolution 10: votes · Senate Joint Resolution 10
-
July 21, 2025 · vote
Voted to override the governor's veto of item 66 in House Bill 96; the item removed local authority to place replacement property-tax levies and certain emergency levies on the ballot (the House vote was 61-28, override succeeded).
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
June 25, 2025 · vote
Voted yes on the conference committee report on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bill 96); the House vote was 59-38 and the motion passed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
June 11, 2025 · vote
Voted no on whether the House would concur in the Senate's amendments to the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House Bill 96); the House vote was 1-85 and the motion failed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
-
April 9, 2025 · vote
Voted yes on the state operating budget for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 (House-passed version) (House Bill 96); the House vote was 60-39 and the motion passed.
Sources: House Bill 96: votes · House Bill 96
Money
Totals and donors exactly as filed with the FEC or the Ohio Secretary of State, each figure with its filing link.
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| Status |
|---|
| None found in the records checked |
Jeffrey R. Givan
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| From | To | Dollars | Share of total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised | Spent | 6,511.03 | 50.9% | |
| Raised | Cash on hand | 6,288.23 | 49.1% |
Totals as filed
OhioSOS, as of July 31, 2026: raised $12,799, spent $6,511, cash on hand $6,288.
Ohio campaigns were due to file pre-general reports on October 22, covering activity through October 14, 2026. They are not in these figures, which come from the latest report in our records, dated July 31, 2026.
Sources: Campaign Finance Data · Campaign Finance: Cover Page search · Campaign Finance
Top donors, as filed
None found in the records checked
Outside spending
None found in the records checked
In-state share
Not yet researched
Checked: Ohio Secretary of State candidate cover-page export, 2026 reports
Matt Huffman
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
| From | To | Dollars | Share of total | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raised | Spent | 502,873.45 | 28.4% | |
| Other funds (derived) | Spent | 617,812.76 | 34.9% | |
| Raised | Cash on hand | 291,963.59 | 16.5% | |
| Other funds (derived) | Cash on hand | 358,696.28 | 20.2% |
Totals as filed
OhioSOS, as of June 12, 2026: raised $794,837, spent $1,120,686, cash on hand $650,660.
Ohio campaigns were due to file pre-general reports on October 22, covering activity through October 14, 2026. They are not in these figures, which come from the latest report in our records, dated June 12, 2026.
Sources: Campaign Finance Data · Campaign Finance: Cover Page search · Campaign Finance
Top donors, as filed
None found in the records checked
Outside spending
None found in the records checked
In-state share
Not yet researched
Checked: Ohio Secretary of State candidate cover-page export, 2026 reports
The result
Not yet researched
Sources
Data from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0: Ohio House of Representatives
- Ohio elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-19 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Ohio House of Representatives elections, 2026 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-30 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Ohio House of Representatives District 78 · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-21 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Representative Matt Huffman - District 78 · The Ohio House of Representatives · accessed 2026-09-22
- Jeffrey R. Givan · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-21 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Jeff Givan for Ohio House District 78 · Jeff Givan for Ohio · accessed 2026-09-22
- Campaign Finance Data · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-19
- Campaign Finance: Cover Page search · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-19
- Campaign Finance · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-19
- https://oft-aft.org/2026election
- Economy · Jeff Givan for Ohio 78 · accessed 2026-10-02
- Matt Huffman · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-21 · CC BY-SA 3.0 or later, per Ballotpedia's terms
- Matt Huffman Legislation · The Ohio House of Representatives · accessed 2026-09-22
- Matt Huffman for Ohio House · Matt Huffman for Ohio · accessed 2026-09-22
- Ohio Ranks First as Top State for Business by CNBC · The Ohio House of Representatives · 2026-07-09 · accessed 2026-09-22
- Ohio House Concurs on Slate of Property Tax Reform Bills · The Ohio House of Representatives · 2025-11-19 · accessed 2026-09-22
- Member Directory · The Ohio House of Representatives · accessed 2026-09-08
- Ohio House of Representatives · Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-08
- House Bill 96: votes · Ohio General Assembly
- Senate Joint Resolution 10: votes · Ohio General Assembly
- 2024 Official Election Results · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-09-21
- No surprises as Ohio lawmakers start a new session and new House speaker makes history · The Statehouse News Bureau · 2025-01-06 · accessed 2026-09-25
- https://ohio-chamber-object-storage-m0uzx.sevalla.storage/uploads/2026/July/13/FOR%20IMMEDIATE%20RELEASE.pdf
- https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/2026-bfa-pac-grades-and-endorsements-ohio-general-election
- https://ohiolife.org/ohio-right-to-life-pac-announces-2026-general-election-candidate-recommendations/
- https://ohiogop.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/allen-county-slate-card.pdf
- https://ohiogop.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/auglaize-county-slate-card.pdf
- https://www.nrapvf.org/grades/ohio/
- House Bill 96 · Ohio General Assembly · accessed 2026-09-21
- Senate Joint Resolution 10 · Ohio General Assembly · accessed 2026-09-21
Quick answers
When is the 2026 Ohio State Representative, District 78 election?
The election for Ohio State Representative, District 78 is on November 3, 2026.
Who is running for Ohio State Representative, District 78 in 2026?
On the ballot for Ohio State Representative, District 78, in surname order: Jeffrey R. Givan (Democratic), Matt Huffman (Republican).
Who holds the Ohio State Representative, District 78 seat now?
The seat is held by Matt Huffman.
Cite and data
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Ohio State Representative, District 78, 2026", https://crackedbuckeye.com/election/2026/ohio-house-78/, built 2026-11-03, accessed [date].
How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-11-03