Former Republican Congressman Jim Renacci to challenge DeWine for governor
COLUMBUS, Ohio - A former four-term congressman from northeast Ohio plans to challenge Gov. Mike DeWine in next year's Republican primary.
Ex-U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci of Wadsworth announced his bid for the GOP nomination Wednesday on WTAM 1100, WKYC in Cleveland and on his website.
Renacci ran briefly for governor in 2017 before then-President Donald Trump backed him to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.
Renacci faced criticism for a number of campaign finance irregularities during that campaign, which he lost.
The businessman and former Wadsworth mayor has criticized DeWine's COVID-19 restrictions, as well as the governor's economic and immigration stances.
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