Last week, Rep. Ryan Smith, R-93, was informally chosen by his fellow Republicans to serve again as speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.

This paves the way for him to win the Jan. 7 vote for the position.

Smith first won the race for the position in June 2018, following a contentious and drawn out vote to fill the position after the resignation of Cliff Rosenberger.

At the the time, it was unclear if Smith would serve beyond the end of the term as speaker, or if his party would opt for another choice for the next legislative session.

Last week’s vote shows Smith secured enough of his party’s confidence to extend his time as leader.

Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, if you live in Lawrence County, Smith’s win is good news.

Representing the 93rd district, which covers most of Lawrence County, Smith will give a voice to our region.

Far too often rural areas like ours are ignored for the more populated parts of the state, or those that are geographically closer to Columbus.

While the speaker serves the entire state, having a local politician in the top position in the chamber can better focus things on the needs of southern Ohio.

We congratulate Smith for securing the leadership position for another term.