Ohio Senator Eric Kearney succeeds Cafero. Ohio Senator Eric Kearney of Cincinnati’s 9th District was unanimously elected by the Senate Democratic Caucus to lead the group as Senate minority leader. Kearney will be sworn in Tuesday in a ceremony at the Statehouse. He succeeds Ohio Senator Capri S. Cafaro, of Hubbard, who has served as Senate Democratic leader since 2009.

Cafaro announced Tuesday at a Statehouse press con ference that she has asked Kearney to assume the role of minority leader.

She cited unanticipated political responsibilities for a legislative leader in a presidential election year. She voiced her added concern that such political activities could possibly take her focus away from her 32nd District, where hands-on advocacy is needed on emerging issues like oil and gas.

“I wanted to make sure that the Democratic Caucus would be guided by someone with the experience, temperament and relationships to lead during a presidential election cycle,’’ Cafaro said. “I know that I have made the right choice for our caucus by asking Senator Kearney to serve as our leader. I have given him my full support to lead the Senate Democrats going forward.”

Senator Cafaro is the longest serving Senate minority leader since former Senator Ben Espy, who served in the 1990s. During her tenure, Senate Democrats passed more bills than any other Democratic caucus since 2000.

Kearney has represented the 9th Senate District since December of 2005, making him the senior member of the 10-member caucus. Dur ing his time in the General Assembly, he has championed the issues of small business development, child safety, healthy choices and crime prevention. He has served as the ranking minority member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Financial Institutions Committee.

Kearney says he’s humbled and honored to have the opportunity to lead the Senate Democratic Caucus.

“I extend my gratitude to Senator Capri Cafaro for her dedicated leadership to Senate Minority Caucus,” he said. “Going forward I hope to lead the Democratic Caucus with a business-like approach emphasizing teamwork, unity, accountability and discipline.’’

As Senate minority leader, Kearney said his work in the Senate has been expanded to helping caucus members achieve success and to managing the caucus.

“Typically, in conversations with other members of the caucus, you hear senators talking about various bills they have introduced, and my emphasis will be changed in my role as minority leader to help them be successful with their proposed legislation,’’ he said. “I am excited about it and hope to be successful by making others successful.’’

In his two terms in the Senate, Kearney, a lawyer, has been more successful in getting legislation he has proposed passed than any other senator. He also cites his organization skills and small business background as founder of a publishing company in Cincinnati.

The minority leader is not only involved in managing the internal operations of the Democratic Caucus, but also helping to manage the political campaigns of Democrats running for Ohio Senate seats across the state, he said.

Also, add his continued representation of residents in the 9th District, and his position as co-chair of the 2012 campaign in Ohio for President Barack Obama to the list.

Kearney’s wife, Jan- Michele Lemon Kearney, who is publisher of Sesh Communications that publishes The Cincinnati Herald, was in the same class with President Obama at Harvard Law School. As a result of that friendship, Kearney helped raise money for Obama’s senate campaign in Illinois and later in Ohio when Obama ran for President.

Kearney and Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) recently introduced Forward Ohio (Senate Bill 278), a new economic development plan that will help Ohio’s unemployed, and position the state’s economy for growth. Initial estimates by the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission state that Forward Ohio could create up to 16,000 jobs. Forward Ohio would authorize programs and tax credits to encourage the hiring of unemployed individuals, make changes to theUnemployment Com pensation Law, authorize grants and tax credits for the rehabilitation of distressed areas and the expansion of broadband connections to rural areas, create a revolving loan fund and a bonding program for small businesses, and to make changes to the Minority Business Bonding Program.

There were other changes in Senate Democrats’ leadership. Joe Schiavoni, D-Canfield, is the new assistant minority leader, Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, is the minority whip, and Edna Brown, D-Toledo, is the assistant minority whip. Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, remains the Senate president.