Democrat John Cranley, who ended an eight-year run as Cincinnati's mayor a year ago, said Thursday he is "very much interested" in running for Hamilton County prosecutor in 2024. It is a role long held by Republican Joe Deters, who was recentlyappointed to the Ohio Supreme Court.
"I am going to look at it vigorously and make a decision in the new year," Cranley said. "I am very much interested."
Cranley said that his background as founder of the Innocence Project, which works to overturn the conviction of prisoners wrongly convicted and his close relations with Cincinnati police as mayor are "good qualifications for the job."
"I can't say yet that I will definitely do it, but it's something I can see myself doing and I am considering it very seriously," he said when asked Thursday.
Under Ohio law, the Hamilton County Republican Party's central committee will meet next year to appoint a replacement for Deters. That replacement would serve as prosecutor through the end of Deters' present term two years from now.
Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou put out a statement Thursday saying Republicans interested in applying for Deters' job must file an application with the party by 4 p.m. on Dec. 30.
