Ohio U.S. Representative Jim Renacci has put the speculation to rest, confirming his entry into the 2018 Ohio Governor's race Monday morning.
The announcement that he's filed the official paperwork with Secretary of State Jon Husted's office came in the 9 a.m. hour.
In a release, Renacci said, "For far too long, career politicians in both Washington and Columbus have been looking out for themselves, not us, and now more than ever we need a serious, conservative outsider to lead our state who will always put Ohio first. We need a leader who will end the “pay to play” sweetheart deals that have corrupted Columbus. We need a leader who truly understands what it takes to keep and attract good paying jobs to Ohio and who knows how to simplify our tax code for Ohio families and businesses. And we need a leader who will put an end to the over-regulation that continues to hold Ohio’s economy back."
See the Renacci Campaign video:
There is a who’s who list of names rumored to join the race for governor once John Kasich’s term is complete. One of those is a familiar name from right down the road. Betty Sutton is one of the two confirmed Democrats to enter the race, and she stopped in studio with the Ray Horner Morning Show. Sutton talked about her decision to run, as well as how her experience in the House of Representatives can help expand the job growth in Ohio. The other confirmed candidates are fellow Democrat Joe Schiavoni and Republican Mary Taylor. Other names rumored have been AG Mike DeWine, Rep. Jim Renacci, and Secretary of State Jon Husted.