Larry Householder
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Larry Householder of Glenford, Ohio, is an American politician of the Republican party who served as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2005.
Householder worked in the insurance business in Perry County, Ohio, before entering politics. In 1994, Householder was elected to the office of county commissioner. In 1996, he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. After serving two terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, Householder was elected speaker in 2001 at the beginning of the 124th Ohio General Assembly. He had been part of the Republican leadership in his first two terms. Householder was a Bush Pioneer in 2004.
Householder is a bitter political opponent of fellow Republican Ken Blackwell, the Ohio Secretary of State, who has opposed tax increases adopted by the Republican-controlled Ohio General Assembly in the face of budget shortfalls. Two of Householder's close associates have recently become embroiled in scandals.
Blocked by Ohio's term limits law from seeking another term in the Ohio House, in the 2004 election, Householder ran for the office of county auditor of Perry County, Ohio, unseating Democratic interim auditor Bill Crane. Householder won the election by fewer than 270 votes and the result is in dispute.
Householder is currently running for a second term as Perry County Auditor. After narrowly winning the Republican primary against relatively unknown Mike Heavner, he now faces Democrat Teresa Stevenson. Stevenson a former employee of Householder was fired after winning the Democratic nomination. Householder dropped out of the race for County Auditor in late August, after Republican leaders in Perry County acknowledged that Householder was likely to lose the General Election. Householder recently was exonerated after federal investigations relating to his activities as Speaker.
Householder and his wife, Taundra, have five children and live on their family farm.