Ohio's 2nd Congressional District race: What to know
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
This story has been updated to clarify the geography of the district and add candidates as they file.
Republican U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup announced this month that he would retire from Congress when his current term expires, saying he wanted to spend more time with his wife and two children.
Wenstrup, a podiatrist, has represented Ohio's 2nd Congressional District since 2012. He said in a video posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Sadly, all too often the frantic pace of Washington has kept me away from our home. I'm ready to change that."
Now the 787,000 residents of the district will be getting a new representative. Here's what to know about the race to succeed him.
Where is the district?
The sprawling district runs from Cincinnati's suburbs in the west to West Virginia in the east, covering most of southern Ohio. Almost all of the counties are considered part of Appalachia.
The district covers all of Clermont, Clinton, Pike, Adams, Brown, Highland, Ross, Scioto, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia, and Meigs counties, as well as a portion of Fayette County.
What is the district like politically?
It's overwhelmingly Republican. In fact, it is the most Republican district of Ohio's 15, based on the 2020 presidential race results. President Donald Trump beat Joe Biden by about a 3-to-1 margin.
Wenstrup himself beat his most recent Democratic challenger Samantha Meadows in 2022 by the same margin.
What is the district like economically?
The district includes suburban counties outside Cincinnati and Columbus, but the more rural sections include some of the Ohio counties with the highest unemployment rates and poverty rates.
The median household income is about $61,600 and only 21% have a college degree or higher, both below the statewide averages.
The district is home to river cities such as Portsmouth and Gallipolis, and the scenic Hocking Hills, a popular tourist destination.
What's the timetable?
The filing deadline for candidates is Dec. 20.
Because the district is so lopsidedly Republican, the March 19 primary will almost certainly determine who the next Congress member will be. The winners of any primaries will face off in the general election Nov. 5.
Who is running?
So far announced candidates are:
Niraj Antani, a state senator from Miamisburg. While he doesn't live in the district now, he said he would move there if he wins. "We need somebody who is steel-spined to stand up to Democrats in Washington, and I will do that," he said
Charles Tassell, of Batavia, the Clermont County Republican Party chairman who founded a gun buyback program as a way to curb violence.
Derek Meyers of Chillicothe. He ran a local news site and at one point sought a job with disgraced New York Republican Rep. George Santos. "I've had the ability to give a voice to the voiceless. And I'm ready to take that to Congress," Myers said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio congressional election: Who's running for Wenstrup seat?
