CINNCINATI, Ohio, March 29 (UPI) -- Hamilton County, Ohio, Republicans Pat DeWine and Tom Brinkman said they will run in the special election to replace U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
DeWine, a county commissioner and son of U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, and Brinkman, who currently holds a seat in the Ohio House, were the first to officially come forward in what is expected to be a crowded field, the Cincinnati Enquirer said Tuesday.
Other possible GOP candidates for the strongly Republican seat include former U.S. Rep. Bob McEwen, former state Rep. Jean Schmidt, WLW talk-radio host Bill Cunningham, Cincinnati lawyer Bill Keating Jr. and state Rep. Tom Raga. State Reps. Todd Book and Tyrone Yates head the list of potential Democrats.
Hamilton County Commissioner Phil Heimlich, who would have easily been -- with DeWine -- the GOP front runner, took himself out of the running by accepting an offer to run for lieutenant governor in 2006 on a ticket with Ohio Attorney General Jim Petro.
Ohio Gov. Bob Taft will scheduled the special election once the Senate confirms Portman as U.S. trade representative, likely by late April.
