The 2016 candidate filing deadline is still two weeks away, but we may have already witnessed the first incumbent to lose a bid for re-election. Last night, it was reported that incumbent State Rep. Wes Retherford (R-Hamilton) lost the Butler County GOP endorsement to his predecessor, Courtney Combs (R-Hamilton). In addition to serving as a State Representative from 2004-2012, Combs has served the people of Butler County on Hamilton City Council and as a county commissioner. Since leaving office in 2012, Combs has worked as a Realtor at Combs Group Realty. Tensions between Rep. Retherford and the county party establishment made it possible for Combs to garner the support needed to gain the party’s nomination with 64% of the vote at last night’s Butler County GOP endorsement meeting.
According to Michael Pitman, a political reporter for the Middletown Journal-News, Retherford will not mount a primary against Combs, stating that he will “abide by the wishes of the district”.
District Profile
The 51st House District consists of the eastern portion of Butler County. The district includes the cities of Hamilton and Fairfield as well as Hanover Township. Following legislative redistricting in 2011, the Republican political index for House District 59 is currently at 60.7%. Butler County as a whole is a Republican stronghold, and the 51st House District will not likely be in play for House Democrats during the 2016 election cycle. To date, there are no Democrat candidates that have announced their intent to run for the seat. Retherford won his last two races with 69.3% and 56.7% of the vote, and Combs never got less than 57% of the vote.
ProBiz Rankings
While serving in the past two General Assemblies, Rep. Retherford has compiled a 100% lifetime pro-business voting record on bills marked as a key vote by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. During his previous service in the General Assembly, Rep. Combs also carried the distinction of having a 100% lifetime pro-business voting record.
Moving Forward
Rep. Retherford will have two weeks to decide whether or not to stick to his initial pledge not to run against the party’s endorsed candidate. Rep. Retherford returns to a Butler County that is very much in flux following the departure of House Speaker John Boehner (R-West Chester). During the 2014 cycle, Rep. Retherford received a primary challenge from Greg Jolivette, also a former State Representative. Retherford defeated Jolivette with 60% of the vote. During that primary, Retherford was the nominated candidate for the Butler GOP. While Rep. Retherford has previously ruled out a bid for Ohio’s 8th Congressional District, the loss of the endorsement for his seat may re-open that door, though that too, seems unlikely.
UPDATE: Rep. Retherford has since distanced himself from his pledge to not run against the party’s endorsed candidate, stating to the Cincinnati Enquirer, “The process was manipulated by a few power brokers who didn’t like the idea that I’m not their puppet.”