Here is a list found at newsdemocrat.com of the current folks who have pulled petitions to run in the March 2012 primary. Incumbents are marked with an X. Also note independent candidates will have until the day before the March primary to return petitions since they do not participate in primary elections.
Commissioner (For term beginning Jan. 3, 2013)
Daryll Gray (R)
William Geschwind (D)X
Tim McKeown (D)
Geschwind is the dem incumbent in this race. Both Daryll Gray and Mr. McKeown are well known members of the Brown County community. This will be a tough race for the GOP, but it is winnable.
Commissioner(For term beginning Jan. 2, 2013)
Ralph Jennings (D)X
Barry Woodruff (R)
Charles Krainz Jr. (I)
Again, the incumbent is a dem who is pretty popular. Mr. Woodruff has the fire and the spark to go. He has a great personality. Krainz is a member of an optician's association, and frequent letter writer to local newspapers. A hard race, but also winnable for the GOP.
Prosecutor
Jessica Little (R)X
Dennis Varnau (I, Kook, Menace, Sore Loser)
Thomas Grennan (D)
I see Jessica has incurred the wrath of menace, sore loser, and guy who feels he should be given the office over will of the people, Dennis the Menace Varnau. This guy is so power hungry he has pulled petitions in the prosecutor AND sheriff's race. Guess he fancies himself as a one stop shop of justice. What next, judge too? The guy is a kook and has a cult following among some of the weaker minded in Brown County. Grennan is the former prosecutor who left office and is associated with mismanagement, longer waiting time for cases, and general good ol boyness.
Clerk of Courts
Dale Anderson (D)
Clark Gray (R)
Marilyn Cluxton (R)
Sandra McKinney (R)
Jeff Frye (R)
Alesha Crawford (R)
Big race. Great chance for a Dem pickup. Tina Meranda is leaving office effective 12/16 due to health reasons. Tonight, the BCGOP is to pick the person to fill the office for the rest of the term. Out of the GOP field, only Gray and Cluxton received recommendations by the central committee. Anderson is a current Scott Twp trustee. Look for a serious fight to keep this one in the GOP column.
Sheriff
Dwayne Wenninger (R) X
Todd Bumbalough (D)
John M. Black (D)
Dennis Varnau (I, Kook, Menace, Sore Loser)
Incumbent Wenninger again faces off against a Dem opponent and apparently the guy who thinks he should have all the power in law enforcement, famed litigationist Dennis the Sore Loser Varnau. This guy can't take a hint. He is a sore loser who wants offices given to him, even when he wasn't a candidate on the ballot. Bumbalough is the current mayor of Sardinia and former police chief and officer. Black is a police officer in the Mt. Orab Department. Varnau is a walking joke, but Black will be a challenger to long time incumbent Wenninger.
Engineer
Todd Cluxton (D) X
I guess Republicans don't study engineering or something. Cluxton's mom is a lifelong Republican who is running for Clerk of Courts and has been recommended by the county GOP central committee.
Recorder
Amy Jo DeClaire (R) X
Kelly Moran (D)
Amy Jo has a done a good job in her time as recorder. She is a hard worker and dedicated to her craft. Still doing background on opponent. I think this is a definite keeper for the GOP.
Treasurer
Connie Patrick (R) X
Connie has done a fantastic job! So much so that she has no opponent in the general (unless an independent wants to run...they get until the day before the primary to submit petitions). A definite keeper for the GOP.
State Senate 14th district
Paul Hall (R)
Joe Uecker (R)
Steve Purtell (R)
Charles W. Carlier (D)
Tony Adkins (D or R)
This is basically the race to replace Tom"I retroactively raised your taxes and think citizens talking to me at a church social are no different than lobbyists" Niehaus, who thankfully is term limited. Paul Hall has been endorsed by the county gop central committee. Joe Uecker is a state rep from Clermont County who is looking to move up the political ladder. Joe was endorsed by the Clermont County Central Committee. I have no idea who Charles Carlier is, and one list has Adkins as a R and the other has him as a D, so I don't know who is confused. I think this race will be the GOP candidate's to lose, and it is possible to lose.
Ohio State Rep 66th District
Doug Green (R)
Nick Owens (R)
Rick Herron (R)
Leo Lopez (R)
Ken McNeely(D)
Doug Green was endorsed by the Brown County GOP, with Herron was qualified by the Clermont County GOP Central Committee. Herron did not receive a single vote in Brown County. Nick Owens is a young man who has worked in the prosecutor's office as well as for Congresswoman Jean Schmidt. Doug Green is the current Brown County Auditor and has 26 years of experience in the county. I have no idea who Lopez is, or McNeely for that matter. I think that Green or Owens would make great representatives to the General Assembly. I think this is another hold for the GOP, barring any silliness.
US Congress, 2nd District
Jean Schmidt (R)X
Brad"Pro Life means giving to Planned Parenthood, and conservative means using Soros groups to attack opponents" Wenstrup (R)
David "Crazy nutjob who is a volatile loose cannon and a joke" Krikorian (D, looney)
Joe"No not the Pittsburgh guy" Green (R)
Brad Kundrata (R)
William R. Smith (D)
Wenstrup is untruthful, a flip flopper, and doesn't vet his information, apparently. Krikorian has proven time and again to be nothing more than a nutjob. Remember, he once tried to run as a republican. Failing, he switched to Democrat. Aside from his pet issue of turkey and armenia, what does he stand for? What values does he have? None. I don't know William Smith. Kundrata and Green didn't have the courage to show to the endorsement meetings that I know of.
Jean Schmidt has served this district faithfully. While not perfect, she has been rated the 6th most conservative in Congress. She has visited her district and been part of events and efforts at improvement in Brown and Clermont Counties tirelessly and frequently. Why some people hold such animosity is beyond me. Is she a 100% tea party small government type? Not totally, but she is highly rated by conservative experts and I would rather have her than any of the other clowns in this field. She is a survivor and a very hard worker. She works hard for constituents. Why the cult of Thea Shumake and Ted Stevenot did not fully endorse her is simply a matter of jealousy and stupidity. She was endorsed handily by the Brown County Central Committee.
