Neal Zimmers

Neal Zimmers
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 5th district
In office January 3, 1975-December 31, 1994
Preceded by	Clara Weisenborn
Succeeded by	Rhine McLin
Personal details
Political party	Democratic

Neal Zimmers is an Ohio Democratic politician and a former member of the Ohio Senate. An attorney, Zimmers initially opted to run for elected office in 1974, when he challenged Senator Clara Weisenborn for the Fifth District. A competitive district, Weisenborn was initially favored, but Zimmers went on to defeat her to take the seat. He won reelection easily in 1978. By 1980 in the 114th General Assembly, Zimmers had become assistant minority leader.^[1]

By 1982, Zimmers was being mentioned as a potential candidate for Ohio Lieutenant Governor,^[2] but he ended up running for a third term in the Senate. With Democrats taking majority of the Senate in 1983, Zimmers was elected President pro tempore.^[3] After Democrats then lost control in 1985, Zimmers again served as assistant minority leader. He was reelected in 1986.

Elected again in 1990, Zimmers was ousted from leadership, along with Harry Meshel, and was replaced by Alan Zaleski.^[4] After the 1992 elections, Zimmers again tried to attain a leadership post, but fell one vote short.^[5]

In 1994, Zimmers announced that he would run to succeed Howard Metzenbaum in the United States Senate.^[6] However, he dropped out after not receiving the endorsement of the Ohio Democratic Party.^[7] With his current state Senate seat up for reelection as well, Zimmers would leave public office at the end of 1994. While his term officially ended on December 31, 1994, Zimmers resigned early so his successor, Rhine McLin, would have seniority.

Following his time in the Senate, Zimmers has returned to private practice as an attorney, is a registered lobbyist, and is active in other state government ventures.

References

1. ^ Ohio Senate Democrats oust Ocasek as leader
2. ^ Possible Brown ticket mates
3. ^ Meshel will head Ohio Senate
4. ^ Boggs new leader
5. ^ Boggs barely holds on to minority post
6. ^ Hyatt foes faults his advertising
7. ^ Zimmers backs out

Persondata
Name	Zimmers, Neal
Alternative names
Short description	Ohio state senator
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death