State Rep. D.J. Swearingen, Republican representing the 89th Ohio House District, has withdrawn from his reelection race.
Swearingen announced his change of plans on Facebook late in the evening on Aug. 4.
The 89th District includes Erie County and parts of Huron and Ottawa counties. After winning his May 5 primary, he was set to face Democrat Easton Retzke. Swearingen has represented the district since he was appointed in 2019. He is currently serving his third term.
In his statement, Swearingen referenced being considered for a “new role,” but did not indicate what that might be.
Ohio Republicans have a few days to replace Swearingen on ballot
Alex Jones, director of the Erie County Board of Elections, explained the process for finding a replacement candidate for Swearingen.
A replacement for Swearingen must be submitted to the Erie County Board of Elections by 4 p.m. on Aug. 10.
It is submitted to Erie County because it is the most populous one in the district. For the same reason, the Erie County Republican Party chairperson calls the meeting. The committee that nominates the replacement includes the Republican Party chair and secretary from each of the three counties in the 89th district.
The candidate then needs to formally accept the nomination and submit the required paperwork. The date is mandated by the Ohio Revised Code, normally 86 days before the election. However, that is a Sunday. The board of elections observes a next-business-day principle, bumping the date to Monday.
“The replacement does not have to be from Erie County, but because Erie County is the most populous in the district, they would call the meeting to select the replacement,” Jones said. “It’s pretty straightforward. It doesn’t happen a lot, obviously, but it is kind of a time crunch. That’s outlined by state law, that any vacancy that is created on the ballot by withdrawal or disqualification has to be filled 86 days before the election.”
Should Republicans miss that deadline, Swearingen’s name will still be removed, but another Republican candidate will not replace him.
Write-in campaign could be alternative option
“There could always be a write-in that files. There’s still time for that, but there would not be a candidate that is nominated by the party in that race,” Jones said in reference to the party missing the date or not nominating a candidate. “It’s such a rare process that there’s not a whole lot out there about it. We have one small section of code to go off of. They call a meeting, the six folks show up, nominate a candidate, then, as long as that candidate accepts, we’ll swap those names on the ballot. All the drama happens in the meeting. We don’t have to worry about the drama. We just get the after-effects.”
Jones said that write-in candidates must file declaration-of-intent paperwork by 4 p.m. on Aug. 24.
Sources have suggested that possible replacement candidates being discussed include Jennifer Widmer, the Ottawa County auditor, and Caleb Stidham, the Erie County treasurer.
The general election is Nov. 3, 2026.
The full statement from Swearingen’s press release is as follows:
“It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional life to serve the people of Ohio’s 89th House District these past seven years.
With that being said, I will not be seeking reelection as state representative for Ohio House District 89 for the November 2026 election.
Further details regarding my next steps will be shared in the weeks ahead. I am in the process of being considered for a new role in serving the people of Ohio and our country. I didn’t think that it would be fair to pursue that role while simultaneously asking the great people of the 89th District for their votes to serve another term in the next General Assembly starting in 2027. That seemed disingenuous to me. They deserve to have a voice in voting for a Republican nominee who will serve them for the full two-year term.
I remain committed to assisting with a smooth transition to fill this position for the Republican Party on the ballot and give the voters of this district a strong voice fighting for them in Columbus. I will continue serving in the current General Assembly for the foreseeable future.”
Contact Roger LaPointe at 419-332-2674.
This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Ohio Republicans on clock to replace state rep who ends reelection bid
Reporting by Roger LaPointe, Port Clinton News Herald / Port Clinton News Herald
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Roger LaPointe, Port Clinton News Herald | USA TODAY Network
