The list of Republicans who want to replace retiring House Speaker John Boehner in his 8th Congressional District seat grew to five Tuesday with the entry of State Rep. Tim Derickson, R-Hanover Township, into the race.
The former dairy farmer from Butler County, who is in his fourth and final term in the Ohio House, made his formal announcement Tuesday morning at the Voice of America Park in West Chester.
Later, Derickson told WVXU that he put a “lot of thought and a lot of prayer” into the decision to join a crowded field of GOP candidates.
“I have been about getting things done in Columbus; and I’d like to continue that in Washington,’’ the 55-year-old state representative said.
“A focus for me over the years has been workforce development, creating jobs,’’ said Derickson, whose 53rd Ohio House District includes Oxford and Hanover Township.
On Sept. 25, Boehner announced he would resign his speakership and leave Congress at the end of October. There has been chaos in the House over finding Boehner’s replacement as speaker; and Boehner has said he will stay on until a successor is chosen.
When Boehner leaves, Ohio Gov. John Kasich will call a special election to choose a new representative to serve out the rest of Boehner’s term. The governor will set a date for special primaries on both the Democratic and Republican sides and a date for a special election.
Whoever wins the special election will have to run again in Nov. 2016 in order to keep the seat.
The district includes Butler, Preble, Darke, Clark and Miami counties, along with part of Mercer County.
So far, the other declared candidates on the GOP side are State Sen. Bill Beagle, R-Tipp City; Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds, former high school teacher J.D. Winteregg of Troy and Miami County resident Scott George.
