CINCINNATI — March 19 marks Election Day, and voters in Ohio's second congressional district will see a slew of candidates competing.
A total of 12 candidates are vying to fill U.S. Congressman Brad Wenstrup's seat in the congressional district, which covers Clermont, Clinton, Adams, Pike, Brown, Highland, Ross, Scioto, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia and Meigs counties, as well as part of Faayette County.
There are 11 Republicans facing off in the primary, while Samantha Meadows is the sole Democrat running for Wenstrup's seat in November. Wenstrup, who's from Hillsboro, announced his retirement after 10 years.
Meet the Republicans candidates in the primary:
Kim Georgeton
According to her campaign website, Georgeton's platform is grounded in "a deep respect for the Constitution and a commitment to reducing government overreach." A Cincinnati resident, Georgeton said she never planned to get into politics until politics impacted her business. As a candidate, Georgeton has focused her campaign on multiple issues, including reducing taxes, protecting parental rights, fighting corruption, standing with pro-life advocates and many more.
Phil Heimlich
Heimlich is a former Cincinnati City Council member, assistant Hamilton County prosecutor, a Hamilton County commissioner. According to his website, Heimlich is passionate about school choice, having established Riverside Academy and Life Skills Center, a charter school. Currently, Heimlich serves as legal advisor to Republicans for the Rule of Law.
Tom Hwang
Born in Cleveland and raised in Waverly, Ohio, Hwang is a businessman who owns The Virtues golf course. According to his campaign website, Hwang said "my core values say that: low taxes, less regulation and personal freedoms are what make America great." Issues Hwang has campaigned on include government spending and inflation, immigration, cancel culture and more.
Larry Kidd
A southern Ohio native, Kidd is a small business owner with three decades of helping elect conservatives to office, according to his website. Kidd lists multiple key issues to him, including border security, the economy and being pro-life. Kidd has been endorsed by multiple entities, including the Scioto County Republican Party, the Jackson County Coroner and more.
Tim O'Hara
A military veteran and former drill instructor, O'Hara is a Hamersville resident. O'Hara's campaign has been "America First"-focused, centering on issues such as securing the border, the right to bear arms, backing police and standing up to China, among others, according to his website.
Charles Tassell
Tassell's campaign website says he is campaigning on two core issues: wanting to "fight the scourge of fentanyl by ending the Biden open border policy" and ending inflation that has "made paychecks worth less than they were before." Tassell also said that "woke Democrats in Washington are destroying our country." Tassell has been endorsed by the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio, Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom and more.
David Taylor
Described as a "rock-ribbed conservative," according to his campaign website, David Taylor is a Clermont County resident and businessman. Taylor's campaign has focused on multiple issues, including the sanctity of life, the economy, border security, cryptocurrency and more. Taylor's website also specifies that he supported Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020, and he is supporting him again in 2024.
Derek Myers
Myers, a southern Ohio native, calls himself a fearless conservative, "taking his fight for truth, transparency, and conservative principles to the political stage," according to his campaign website. Myers lists various issues he's prioritized during his campaign, including homeless veterans, finishing Trump's wall at the border, "taking on the deep state," addressing mental health, protecting children from "gender insanity" and many more.
Shane Wilkin
A small business owner and "avid support of President Trump," Wilkin's is running for Congress "because he knows we can — and we must — do better for middle-class families like his own," according to his campaign website. Wilkin is a state legislator and former county commissioner. According to his website, he wants to carry the Second District's conservatives values to Washington, D.C., by supporting "stronger families, better jobs, safer communities and a brighter future for all of us."
Niraj Antani
An Ohio senator, Niraj Antani is currently the youngest serving member of the state senate and the first Indian-American state senator in Ohio history. Prior to his state senate time, Antani, who does not live in the second district, served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2014 to 2020. Antani did tell WCPO's content partner the Journal-News that he would love to the district if he won. Antani also told Journal-News he "has a steel-spine in standing for life, our 2nd Amendment rights, and for pro-growth economic policies." He also called himself a pro-Trump Republican.
Ron Hood
According to Ron Hood's campaign website, "it's time to reopen American and get our economy booming again." A former state representative, Hood said "America's future is on the line." Hood, who describes himself as an America-first Republican, wants to focus on building the border wall, protecting the unborn, defending gun rights, stopping enemies like China, promoting American businesses and more. He also said the first thing he'd do as Congressman would be joining the Freedom Caucus.
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