William Batchelder, the influential conservative leader…who was the second-longest serving state representative in Ohio history, died Saturday at 79. The son of a prosecutor and county Republican Party chairman, Batchelder first won his northeast Ohio district in 1968, at age 25. The Medina Republican served as House speaker during his final years in office. Term limits forced him to retire in December 2014. He left the Ohio House after 38 years.