Who is running for Congress locally? Field is taking shape

Three of the five Republicans who make up southwest Ohio’s U.S. Congressional delegation face primary battles and Democrats are fielding candidates in all five districts, according to nominating petitions filed by Wednesday’s deadline at area boards of election.

The candidates will only appear on the May 8 ballot if the boards certify that they each have at least 50 valid signatures from registered voters on their petitions. That process will be complete by Feb. 19.

Voters will have plenty of choices in a mid-term year of deep political polarization when both President Donald Trump and Congress deeply unpopular. Democrats are hoping to gain enough seats to win the majority after being the minority party since Republicans’ mid-term sweep of November 2010.

RELATED: Congressional races take shape as Democrats push to retake House

Here’s a look at who filed for U.S. House of Representative seats representing communities in southwest Ohio.

10th District

Two Republicans, John Anderson of Enon and John Mitchel of Beavercreek, are challenging U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, in the 10th District. Both Mitchel and Anderson have run for Congress repeatedly and unsuccessfully, with Mitchel also running as an Independent and Anderson a Libertarian in the past.

RELATED: Turner faces familiar foe in May primary

Democrats filing in that race include: Theresa Gasper of Beavercreek, Robert Klepinger of Dayton, who was beaten twice by Turner in previous General Elections; and Michael Milisits of Huber Heights.

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The district includes all of Montgomery and Greene counties and the northern half of Fayette County.

8th District

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Troy, filed for re-election to his 8th district seat and faces no opposition in the primary. Davidson replaced former U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, who retired in 2015.

RELATED: Fixing ‘broken things:’ Davidson talks about 18 months in Congress

Democrats who filed include Bill Ebben and Vanessa Enoch, both of West Chester Twp., Ted Jones of Piqua, and Matthew J. Guyette and Stephen D. Shaw, both of Greenville.

The 8th district includes all of Butler, Preble, Darke, Miami and Clark counties and the southern half of Mercer County.

4th District

U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana, who has carved out a major national profile as a leader of the conservative Freedom Caucus in Congress, faces a primary challenge from Joseph Miller of Marion.

RELATED: Jim Jordan says John Boehner is ‘angry,’ ‘bitter’

Four Democrats filed to run in the sprawling district. They are Norbert G. Dennerll Jr. of Elyria, Janet Garrett of Oberlin, Leah Sellers of Marysville, and Cody James Slatzer-Rose of New Albany.

The 4th district includes all of Champaign, Shelby, Union, Logan, Auglaize, Allen, Crawford, Seneca and Sandusky counties and parts of Mercer, Marion, Huron, Erie and Lorain counties.

1st District

U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Cincinnati, faces a Republican primary race against Samuel Ronan of Springboro. On the Democratic side, petitions were filed by Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval and Laura Ann Weaver, both of Cincinnati.

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The 1st district includes all of Warren County and much of Hamilton County.

2nd District

U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Cincinnati, has no primary opposition. Democrats who filed are Janet Everhard of New Richmond and Jill Schiller of Cincinnati.

RELATED: Cincinnati congressman did CPR, helped victims after train crash

The 2nd district includes parts of Hamilton, Ross and Scioto counties and all of Clermont, Brown, Highland, Adams and Pike counties.

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