Ben Espy

{{Short description|American politician (1943–2025)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Ben Espy

| image = Ben Espy crop.jpg

| caption = Espy in 2007

| state_senate = Ohio

| state = Ohio

| district = 15th

| term = April 21, 1992 – December 31, 2002

| preceded = Richard Pfeiffer

| succeeded = Ray Miller

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|07|12}}

| birth_place = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2025|01|04|1943|07|12}}

| death_place = Columbus, Ohio, U.S.

| party = Democratic

| spouse = Kathy Duffy

| children = 4

| parents =

| residence =

| alma_mater = Howard University
Ohio State University
Sandusky High School

| occupation =

| profession =

| cabinet =

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| religion =

}}

Bennie Eugene Espy{{cite news|url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/sanduskyregister/name/bennie-espy-obituary?id=57225599|title=Bennie Espy|work=Sandusky Register|date=January 10, 2025}} (July 12, 1943 – January 4, 2025) was an American Democratic politician who served in the Ohio Senate. A member of Columbus City Council from 1982 to 1992, Espy went on to obtain an appointment to the Ohio Senate after Senator Richard Pfeiffer resigned in 1992.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NKVFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kM8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=6690,680685&dq=ben+espy+ohio&hl=en|title=Legislative Roundup|date=January 8, 1992|work=Portsmouth Daily Times|page=A3|accessdate=4 November 2013|location=Portsmouth, Ohio}} He won election to fill the remainder of the term in 1992, and to a full term in 1994. In 1984, during his time on the Columbus City Council, Espy was struck by a falling cornice from an aging building, which caused his right leg to be severed below the knee.{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2199&dat=19840629&id=iJsyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1ugFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5290,5683467 |title=Lawrence Journal-World Google News Archive Search |date=June 29, 1984 |website=Google News Archive |access-date=December 14, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.10tv.com/article/news/ex-buckeye-player-politician-overcomes-accident-took-leg/530-56344deb-43b7-4356-ba6e-a60fa11f109d |title=Ex-Buckeye Player, Politician Overcomes Accident That Took Leg |date=November 5, 2009 |website=10tv.com |access-date=December 14, 2024}}

By 1994, Espy was chosen to serve as assistant Senate minority leader,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YSBGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=088MAAAAIBAJ&pg=3398,4995084&dq=ben+espy+ohio&hl=en|title=Democrats Elect Minority Leaders|date=December 1, 1994|work=Portsmouth Daily Times|page=A1|accessdate=4 November 2013|location=Portsmouth, Ohio}} and by 1996, he was minority leader. He won a second term in 1998.

In 1999, Espy challenged Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman in the primary for mayor, but lost. He subsequently resigned his minority leader post, and served the remainder of his term in the Senate as a lame duck. Term limited in 2002, he left office and was replaced by Ray Miller.

Espy returned to private law practice, and also went on to serve as a special counsel to the Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann. He resided in Columbus, Ohio, and was a Prince Hall Freemason.{{cite book|last=Gray|first=David|title=The History of the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio F&AM 1971 – 2011: The Fabric of Freemasonry|year=2012|publisher=Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Ohio F&AM|location=Columbus, Ohio|isbn=978-0615632957|pages=414}}

Espy died in Columbus on January 4, 2025, at the age of 81.{{cite news |title=Former state senator, Columbus City Councilmember Ben Espy passes away: 'Remarkable leader and advocate' |url=https://www.10tv.com/article/news/local/ben-epsy-passes-away-columbus-ohio/530-c8914b42-c06a-4242-ae54-522bbf2affb4 |access-date=4 January 2025 |publisher=10TV |date=4 January 2025}}