Jane Timken
{{Short description|Former chair of the Ohio Republican Party}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Jane Timken
| image = Jane Timken 2017 07 21.jpg
| caption = Timken in 2017
| state_senate = Ohio
| district = 29th
| term_start = January 29, 2025
| term_end =
| succeeding =
| predecessor = Kirk Schuring
| successor =
| office1 = Republican National Committeewoman from Ohio
| term_start1 = April 29, 2024
| term_end1 =
| succeeded1 = Jo Ann Davidson
| office2 = Chair of the Ohio Republican Party
| term_start2 = January 7, 2017
| term_end2 = February 5, 2021
| predecessor2 = Matt Borges
| successor2 = Bryan C. Williams (Acting)
| birth_name = Jane Eileen Murphy
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1966|11|5}}
| birth_place = Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| spouse = {{marriage|Ward Timken|1994}}
| children = 2
| relatives = William R. Timken (uncle-in-law)
| education = Harvard University (BA)
American University (JD)
}}
Jane Eileen Timken (née Murphy; born November 5, 1966) is an American politician and attorney serving as a member of the Ohio Senate for the 29th district. She previously served as chair of the Ohio Republican Party from 2017 to 2021. She was a candidate in the 2022 United States Senate election in Ohio.
Early life and education
Timken was born Jane Eileen Murphy in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of John and Eileen Murphy. Her father was a law professor and her mother was a Scottish-born nurse.{{Cite news |last=Williams |first=Jason |last2=Balmert |first2=Jessie |title=Former Ohio Republican Party leader Jane Timken: 'I would happily accept Trump's endorsement' |website=The Enquirer |language=en-US |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/elections/2021/02/18/former-ohio-gop-leader-and-donald-trump-ally-jane-timken-enters-2022-us-senate-race/6755971002/ |access-date=February 18, 2021}} Timken graduated from Walnut Hills High School.{{cite news|last=Windsor|first=Jack|title=Timken Leaves Ohio GOP Chairmanship for Likely Run at U.S. Senate|work=The Ohio Star|date=February 6, 2021|accessdate=February 19, 2021|url=https://theohiostar.com/2021/02/06/timken-leaves-ohio-gop-for-likely-run-at-u-s-senate/}}{{Cite news |first=Robert |last=Wang |title=How Jane Timken rose to challenge Ohio GOP leadership |work=Canton Repository |date=January 4, 2017 |url=https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20170104/how-jane-timken-rose-to-challenge-ohio-gop-leadership |access-date=February 23, 2021 |archive-date=February 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210219090427/https://www.cantonrep.com/news/20170104/how-jane-timken-rose-to-challenge-ohio-gop-leadership |url-status=dead }}
Timken graduated from Harvard College with a degree in psychology and played rugby while she was there. She received her Juris Doctor, summa cum laude, from American University Washington College of Law.{{cite news|title=Timken Lincoln Day Dinner speaker|work=Hillsboro Times-Gazette|date=February 13, 2019|accessdate=February 19, 2021|url=https://www.timesgazette.com/news/35229/timken-lincoln-day-dinner-speaker}}{{cite news|title=Editorial: Jane Timken takes over Ohio GOP|work=Canton Repository|date=January 9, 2017|accessdate=February 19, 2021|url=http://www.cantonrep.com/opinion/20170109/editorial-jane-timken-takes-over-ohio-gop}}
Career
File:President Donald Trump and Jane Timken.jpg Donald Trump in May 2017]]
She was elected vice chair of the Stark County Republican Party in May 2010. In 2016, she had initially supported Governor of Ohio John Kasich's candidacy the 2016 Republican presidential primary. Timken hosted a fundraiser attended by Donald Trump weeks after he secured the party's nomination in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Wang |first=Robert |date=May 9, 2022 |title=Without Trump endorsement, Jane Timken did poorly in Ohio Senate race. What's her future? |url=https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/2022/05/09/whats-next-jane-timken-after-her-senate-campaign-wilted/9682849002/ |access-date=July 15, 2024 |website=Canton Repository |language=en-US}}
Timken was elected as the first female chairwoman of the Ohio Republican Party in January 2017.{{cite news|last=Pelzer|first=Jeremy|date=January 11, 2019|title=Jane Timken elected Ohio Republican Party chair|work=The Plain Dealer|url=http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2017/01/jane_timken_elected_ohio_repub.html|accessdate=February 19, 2021}} She ousted incumbent chair Matt Borges, an ally of Kasich who refused to endorse Trump in the 2016 election.
While serving as chair, Timken refused to sign a pledge stating the GOP would not use hacked information in campaigns.{{cite news|last=Rouan|first=Rick|date=February 11, 2020|title=Ohio GOP chairwoman Jane Timken 'loath to' take oath against using hacked information with David Pepper|work=Cincinnati Enquirer|url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/02/11/jane-timken-ohio-gop-chair-wont-take-oath-david-pepper-against-hacked-information/4721822002/|accessdate=February 19, 2021}}
= 2022 Senate election =
Timken remained chair until resigning in February 2021 to run for U.S. Senate in the 2022 election, following the announcement that incumbent Republican Rob Portman would not seek re-election.{{Cite news |last=Richardson |first=Seth A. |date=February 18, 2021 |title=Former Ohio GOP Chairman Jane Timken launches bid for Senate |url=https://www.cleveland.com/open/2021/02/former-ohio-gop-chairman-jane-timken-launches-bid-for-senate.html |access-date=February 18, 2021 |website=The Plain Dealer |language=en}}
During the race, she sought to present herself as a Donald Trump loyalist, mirrored his talking points and said she would "advance the Trump agenda". In her announcement speech for the 2022 campaign, she attacked former Governor Kasich, whose presidential candidacy she had supported in 2016.
Timken lost the primary election to JD Vance, ultimately coming in fifth place in a field of seven candidates. She received less than 6% of the vote in the statewide Republican primary. Timken over-performed in her home county of Stark County, where she came in fourth place with 15% of the vote.
= Ohio Senate =
On January 24, 2025, Timken was appointed to the Ohio Senate from the 29th district. She assumed office on January 29, 2025, succeeding Kirk Schuring, who died from cancer in November 2024.{{cite web |last1=Langenfeld |first1=Danielle |last2=Naquin |first2=Talia |title=Jane Timken appointed as Senator for 29th District |url=https://fox8.com/news/jane-timken-appointed-as-senator-for-29th-district/ |website=Fox8 |access-date=25 January 2025}}
Personal life
Timken lives in Stark County, Ohio, with her husband Ward J. "Tim" Timken Jr.,{{Cite news |last=Tobias |first=Andrew |date=December 16, 2019 |title=Former TimkenSteel CEO Tim Timken opening lobbying and consulting firm |language=en |work=The Columbus Dispatch |url=https://www.cleveland.com/open/2019/12/former-timkensteel-ceo-tim-timken-opening-lobbying-and-consulting-firm.html |access-date=February 20, 2021}} the former chairman, CEO, and president of TimkenSteel. She has two children.{{cite news|last=Duer|first=Benjamin|title=Stark County's Jane Timken was re-elected to a third term as Ohio Republican Party chair|work=Canton Repository|date=January 15, 2021|accessdate=February 19, 2021|url=https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/2021/01/15/stark-county-jane-timken-re-elected-third-term-ohio-gop-chair-republican-canton/4182098001/}} Husband Ward Timken's uncle, William R. Timken, is a former United States ambassador to Germany.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://janetimkenforohio.com/ Campaign website]
- {{C-SPAN|67027}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Matt Borges}}
{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the Ohio Republican Party|years=2017–2021}}
{{s-aft|after=Bryan C. Williams
Acting}}
{{s-end}}
{{Members of the Ohio Senate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Timken, Jane}}
Category:2020 United States presidential electors
Category:American people of Scottish descent
Category:Harvard College alumni
Category:Republican Party Ohio state senators
Category:21st-century members of the Ohio General Assembly
Category:State political party chairs of Ohio
Category:Washington College of Law alumni
Category:Women in Ohio politics
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States Senate elections