Daniel R. Hawkins, a Republican, is running for a full term as Ohio Supreme Court Justice in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Marilyn Zayas, a Democrat.
Hawkins is the 164th justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, according to his official court biography. He did not respond to the Montgomery-Blue Ash Courier's candidate questionnaire. Montgomery, Blue Ash and Sycamore Township voters will see this race on their ballots.
Candidate information
- Party: Republican
- Office sought: Ohio Supreme Court Justice (term commencing Jan. 1)
- Hometown: Columbus, Ohio (born and raised)
- Education: High school diploma, St. Francis DeSales High School; bachelor's degree in criminal justice, Bowling Green State University (1998); juris doctor, The Ohio State University (2001)
- Memberships: American Judges Association, Ohio Judicial Conference, Association of Municipal County Judges of Ohio, Ohio State Bar Association and Columbus Bar Association, according to his Federalist Society biography
Experience and public service
Hawkins served as an assistant prosecuting attorney at the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office from 2001 to 2003, according to his Federalist Society biography. He served as director of the Special Victims Unit at the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office from 1999 to 2013, according to BallotReady. In that role, Hawkins was credited with conducting several jury trials, including six death penalty cases, and prosecuting violent crimes involving women and children as victims, including homicides, sexual assaults, child abuse, human trafficking and internet child exploitation, according to his Federalist Society biography.
He was elected judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court, Environmental Division, where he served from 2013 to 2019, per BallotReady records. He then served as judge at the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, from 2019 to 2024. While on the Common Pleas bench, Hawkins earned top ratings from the Columbus Bar Association, according to his official court biography.
Hawkins joined the Ohio Supreme Court in 2025.
On the issues
No policy positions or issue responses were available for this profile. Hawkins did not respond to the Courier's questionnaire, and no issues page from his campaign website could be reviewed.
Endorsements
The following endorsements are claimed by the endorsing organizations, according to BallotReady:
- Buckeye Firearms Association
- Butler County Republican Party
- Clermont County Republican Party
- Franklin County Republican Party
- Lake County Republican Party
- Ohio Republican Party
- Scioto County GOP
- Strongsville Republican Party
- Summit County GOP
Editor's note: Hawkins did not respond to the Montgomery-Blue Ash Courier's candidate questionnaire. This profile is based on public records and published biographical sources.
