Lisa Forbes defeats Terri Jamison for Democratic nomination for Ohio Supreme Court: AP

In the only statewide Democratic primary race on Tuesday, 8th District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes defeated 10th District Court of Appeals Court Judge Terri Jamison to run for an open seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, according to early, unofficial results.

With more than 93% of the vote counted, Forbes was leading Jamison, 63%-37%.

When Forbes won the Ohio Democratic Party endorsement, she gained an edge in fundraising and campaign horsepower over Jamison. In November, Forbes will go against Republican Dan Hawkins, a Franklin County Common Pleas Court judge.

In a written statement, Forbes said Ohioans want a judiciary that will protect them and their rights. "I plan to take my message to the voters that I am running to do my part to ensure that the Supreme Court serves as a firewall to protect our Democracy and the rule of law."

In 2022, Jamison lost a race against incumbent Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick Fischer, a Cincinnati Republican.

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In addition to the race for the open seat, three incumbents will be fighting over two seats on the Supreme Court in November.

Democrat Michael Donnelly will try to fend off challenger Megan Shanahan, a Republican from the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. And Republican Joe Deters, who was appointed to fill a vacancy, decided to run against his colleague, Democrat Melody Stewart, for a full six-year term.

It's the second election cycle in which voters will see party designations on the ballot for supreme court and appellate court races.

Justice Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, is suing to overturn the law requiring partisan labels. Brunner lost her bid for chief justice in 2022 against Republican Sharon Kennedy. That was the first election cycle in which the partisan label law was in force. Republicans won all three supreme court races in that cycle.

Ohio Republicans have controlled a majority of seats on the seven-member high court since 1986. The GOP currently holds four of the seven seats on the court.

Supreme Court decisions impact how much Ohioans pay in taxes, whether utility companies can add fees to ratepayers' bills, how insurance and business laws are interpreted, what government records will be available to the public and more.

With the passage of Issue 1 in November, the Ohio Supreme Court next year is expected to rule on lawsuits that challenge existing laws that restrict abortion.

Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.