One of the Democrats often mentioned as a possible candidate for governor in 2018 says he won’t be running. That decision may bring a flood of candidates forward.
Youngstown-area Congressman Tim Ryan said in a statement he believes the best way to serve his community is to stay where he is and continue working on issues that affect middle-class Ohioans.
Mahoning Valley voters have handily returned the 43-year-old Ryan to Congress eight times. That popularity, combined with the recent rise in Ryan's national profile after a bid to unseat House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, had fueled interest in recruiting him for a gubernatorial run.
A source close to Youngstown area state Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni says he’ll run. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Bill O’Neill and former US Rep. Betty Sutton have also been mulling it over. And former Ohio Attorney General and current federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau chief Rich Cordray is thought to be a possibility as well.
On the Republican side, Attorney General Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Jon Husted and Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor are raising money for governor in 2018, and Northeast Ohio Congressman Jim Renacci has said he’s interested.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
