{{Short description|Ohio State Representative}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Sara Carruthers |image = Sara Carruthers.jpg |state_house1 = Ohio |district1 = 47th |term_start1 = January 3, 2023 |term_end1 = December 31, 2024 |predecessor1 = Derek Merrin |successor1 = Diane Mullins |state_house2 = Ohio |district2 = 51st |term_start2 = January 7, 2019 |term_end2 = December 31, 2022 |predecessor2 = Wes Retherford |successor2 = Brett Hillyer |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|6|23}} |birth_place = Hamilton, Ohio, U.S. |death_date = |death_place = |party = Republican |education = Miami University (BM) }} '''Sara P. Carruthers''' is a member of the Ohio State Board of Education, and former member of the Ohio House of Representatives representing the 47th district from 2019-2024. A Republican, Carruthers represents portions of southern Butler County. Prior to elected office, Carruthers worked in the media industry, including for WKRC-TV in Cincinnati.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://local12.com/news/local/race-for-51st-ohio-house-district-in-butler-county-getting-attention|title=Race for 51st Ohio House district in Butler County getting attention|last=WKRC|first=LARRY DAVIS|date=2018-05-08|website=WKRC|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> She also worked as a press assistant for Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.
== Vote on expulsion of Larry Householder ==
On June 16, 2021, the Ohio House of Representatives voted to expel former Speaker Larry Householder following his indictment in the Ohio nuclear bribery scandal, which centered on the passage of House Bill 6. The resolution to expel Householder passed by an overwhelming margin, though a small group of lawmakers voted against removal.
According to reporting by the Dayton Daily News, Sara Carruthers, a Republican representing Hamilton, voted against expulsion. The newspaper reported that Carruthers said she believed expulsion was premature and that Householder should be afforded due process, stating that she did not think lawmakers should remove a member before a criminal conviction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Householder expelled: How local lawmakers voted |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/ohio/householder-expelled-how-local-lawmakers-voted/UDWIJIAVL5BAVLWQOJ4OID5Z3I/ |website=Dayton Daily News |date=June 16, 2021 |access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref>
== Education == Carruthers attended Miami University. Carruthers is a member of the Delta Zeta sorority.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://miamistudent.net/a-tale-of-two-miamians-former-students-and-sorority-sisters-vie-for-state-representative-seat/|title=A tale of two Miamians: former students and sorority sisters vie for state representative seat|date=2018-10-16|website=The Miami Student|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref>
== Career == In 2018, Carruthers successfully ran in the Republican primary against state Representative Wes Retherford, who had been arrested for drunk driving.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=845795|title=Our Campaigns - OH State House 51 - R Primary Race - May 08, 2018|website=www.ourcampaigns.com|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> She easily won the general election.
In 2019, it was found that Carruthers was sued for an alleged fraud case surrounding when she adopted twins more than a decade ago but failed to live up to a promise that she would provide a home for the birth mother and her three children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.journal-news.com/news/butler-county-lawmaker-accused-fraud-illegal-adoption-contract/8FsbP03coQhfjXYqVL0sNK/|title=Butler County lawmaker accused of fraud, 'illegal adoption contract'|last=Michael D. Pitman|first=Staff Writer|website=journal-news|language=English|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref> Despite an audio recording of Carruthers admitting to the allegations, she claimed it was an extortion attempt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wlwt.com/article/ohio-lawmaker-accused-of-fraud-she-says-its-an-extortion-attempt/26364645|title=Ohio lawmaker accused of fraud; she says it's an extortion attempt|last=Johnson|first=Karin|date=2019-02-16|website=WLWT|language=en|access-date=2019-08-04}}</ref>
In 2022, Carruthers gained attention during her run for the newly drawn 47th State House District when her democratic opponent, 19-year-old Miami University student Sam Lawrence, announced his campaign and gained notoriety. Carruthers beat Real Estate Agent Cody Harper in the Republican primary and won against Lawrence in the general election.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.wcpo.com/news/government/elections-local/incumbent-sara-carruthers-retains-ohio-state-house-seat-over-19-year-old-democratic-candidate-sam-lawrence |last1=Schramm |first1=Molly |first2=Michael |last2=Pitman |location=Hamilton, Ohio |date=2022-11-09 |website=WCPO-TV |language=en-us |access-date=2023-06-12 |url-status=live |archive-date=May 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230510175735/https://www.wcpo.com/news/government/elections-local/incumbent-sara-carruthers-retains-ohio-state-house-seat-over-19-year-old-democratic-candidate-sam-lawrence |title=Incumbent Sara Carruthers retains Ohio State House seat over 19-year-old Democratic candidate Sam Lawrence}}</ref>
In 2024, Carruthers ran for re-election in the Ohio House of Representatives election. She lost the Republican primary election to Diane Mullins, a pastor who ran a campaign to the right of Carruthers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Glynn |first=Erin |title=Diane Mullins ousts incumbent Rep. Sara Carruthers |url=https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2024/03/19/ohio-primary-did-diane-mullins-win-did-sara-carruthers-lose/73034896007/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=The Enquirer |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Hall wins GOP primary, Carruthers loses bid for fourth term |url=https://www.journal-news.com/news/incumbents-face-challenge-for-46th-47th-house-seats-in-butler-county/7XKMKTYLYBFLJCDWW5UZL75ND4/ |access-date=2024-12-18 |website=journal-news |language=English}}</ref>
== Electoral history == {| class="wikitable" |+Ohio House of Representatives District 51 : Results 2018-2020 !Year ! !Republican !Votes !Pct ! !Democrat !Votes !Pct ! !Other !Votes !Pct |- |2018 | |{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|'''Sara P. Carruthers'''}} |{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |22,039 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |59.78% | |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Susan Vaugn}} |{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |14,825 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |40.22% | | | | |- |2020 | |{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|'''Sara P. Carruthers'''}} |{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |35,533 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |93.39% | | | | | |{{Party shading/Independent}} |{{nowrap|Johnny Hamilton}} |{{Party shading/Independent}} align="right" |2,514 |{{Party shading/Independent}} |6.61% |} {| class="wikitable" |+Ohio House of Representatives District 47 : Results 2022 !Year ! !Republican !Votes !Pct ! !Democrat !Votes !Pct ! !Other !Votes !Pct |- |2022 | |{{Party shading/Republican}} |{{nowrap|'''Sara P. Carruthers'''}} |{{Party shading/Republican}} align="right" |21,663 |{{Party shading/Republican}} |65.20% | |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |{{nowrap|Sam Lawrence}} |{{Party shading/Democratic}} align="right" |11,565 |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |34.80% | | | | |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [http://www.ohiohouse.gov/sara-p-carruthers Representative Sara P. Carruthers at ohiohouse.gov] * [https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/179097/sara-carruthers Sara Carruthers at votesmart.org]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Carruthers, Sara}} Category:1962 births Category:21st-century American women politicians Category:21st-century members of the Ohio General Assembly Category:Living people Category:Miami University alumni Category:Republican Party members of the Ohio House of Representatives Category:Women state legislators in Ohio