With Republican Rep. Pat Tiberi stepping down from Congress early next year, more and more candidates are trying to replace him. The latest is State Sen. Troy Balderson, who said on Thursday he’s running for the Republican nomination to represent Central Ohio's 12th District.
Balderson said he wants to bring the work he does as state senator to Washington.
“I wanna continue my role here in the state of Ohio, it’s predominately been with energy and natural resources. So I wanna continue into that field,” Balderson said. “I’ve also served on the Senate finance committee, so continue with the taxes, keep lowering taxes, lowering regulations, moving forward.”
Democratic former Franklin County sheriff Zach Scott, Delaware County Prosecutor Carol O’Brien, Democrat John Russell, Licking County businessman Ed Albertson and former Marine and Republican Brandon Grisez have also announced their plans to run for Tiberi's seat.
Tiberi announced in October that he will resign from the U.S. House by Jan. 31, 2018, to take a position with the private Ohio Business Roundtable.
His seat will be filled after special primary and general elections next year.
The 12th district is considered a Republican stronghold. Before Tiberi's nine terms, it was represented for nine straight terms by current Governor John Kasich.
