The primary elections in Ohio will be contested by a number of Republican candidates in red-colored congressional districts. However, next week’s election promises plenty of drama, especially since the GOP is looking for a candidate to take over the district held by Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur. She has been in Congress the longest.

The Democrats will also face primary elections in more urban districts with a solidly left-wing orientation this month. However, these battles won’t be as closely followed as the various GOP matchesups.

Secure doesn’t mean boring. The GOP primary elections this year include a tense race in Ohio’s south, the future of East Palestine one year after a toxic train derailment and a contentious primaries that could unseat Kaptur. Kaptur is one of GOP’s main targets in their fierce battle to control the U.S. House.

A ROLLER COASTER RIDE ON OHIO LAKE ERIE’S COAST

The battle for the Republican nomination in order to face Kaptur this autumn has been anything but dull.

After a chaotic beginning, Republicans in the United States are more confident about their chances of winning in Ohio’s 9th Congressional District. The district stretches along Lake Erie in Northwest Ohio.

Since Kaptur, 77, was elected to a slightly Democratic district that has since been redistributed in favor of Republicans.

Nevertheless, Kaptur defeated the Republican’s 2022 nominee J.R. Majewski who was aligned with Donald Trump. Party leaders initially feared that the district would be headed for a rematch in 2024. Majewski, however, dropped out of the race on March 2, after disparaging Special Olympics athletes and saying that he would be committed to Trump’s election.

The two major competitors are former state representative Craig Riedel (another 2022 candidate for the seat) and Derek Merrin, who is a latecomer to the race, but has been endorsed by U.S. House speaker Mike Johnson. Former mayor Steve Lankenau is also running.

After Riedel’s comments criticizing Trump surfaced, Merrin was hired as the establishment’s favorite.

Riedel has the support of Jim Jordan who is one of Trump’s staunchest allies.

Merrin’s constituents may remember him best for the intraparty revolt that took place at the Ohio Statehouse in the last year after he did not win the speakership he was promised.

The party leadership sees both Merrin and Riedel as being viable candidates to face Kaptur. Trump has not endorsed the race.

The most money, the most candidates for an open seat in Southern Ohio

In what is shaping up to be the most expensive, crowded and contested of Ohio’s congressional elections, nearly a dozen Republicans’ names will appear on the ballot.

After retiring last year, Brad Wenstrup, a Republican U.S. Representative who covers most of southern Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District is ripe to be taken. In the heavily red district, 11 Republicans were nominated to replace Brad Wenstrup.

It’s not unusual to have a large number of candidates for a primary when an incumbent loses their seat, but having 11 is uncommon, according to Teresa Wooldridge. She has been working in elections for over 26 years.

A majority of votes is not required to win the Republican nomination. The lone Democrat Samantha Meadows will then face off against Meadows.

But there are a few prominent names who have dominated the primaries. Some of them have raised more than $1 million for their campaigns. The two most well-known figures are the state senators. Shane Wilkin, Niraj Antani.

Antani claims he’s running as an “anti-establishment Republican”, similar to Jordan and the other members of U.S. House Freedom Caucus. Antani, who does not live in the district, has raised over $670,000 according to reports on state campaign finance. Wilkin, who joined the race late, has nearly $146,000.

Dave Taylor, an owner of a business in Clermont County, leads the pack with $1.7 millions reported, most of it self-funded.

Larry Kidd is a businessman from southern Ohio and a member of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board. He reported raising $1.4 Million. Tim O’Hara was a retired U.S. Marine Corps Drill Sergeant and owner of a restaurant chain who had $1.3 million in his possession as of February 20, 2024.

Many candidates run on the same issues including Trump’s support.

Phil Heimlich is the only candidate in the race who opposes Trump. He’s the son of Dr. Henry Heimlich – the inventor of the Heimlich maneuver. Adam Kinzinger is one of the two Republican members of congress who are investigating the insurrection of Jan. 6. He has endorsed him.

EASTERN Ohio: ONE PRIMARY AND TWO VOTES

On March 19, voters in Ohio’s 6th Congressional District are actually voting twice for a seat.

They will determine first, who will represent their respective party in a June special election to succeed the former U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson. Johnson retired on Jan. 21, becoming president of Youngstown State University.

The second vote will decide the nominees for the general elections in November to determine a new term of Congress that begins in January 2025.

In eastern Ohio, the heart of the district runs along the Ohio River. It recently marked the anniversary of the East Palestine train wreck.

Rick Tsai is a Republican chiropractor from East Palestine who has run on the issue of derailment. He has criticised government entities as well as the Norfolk Southern Railway Company for the way they handled the derailment, and the impact it had on the local community. His campaign website has been updated with testimonials from East Palestine residents who have praised his advocacy.

Tsai will face a tough battle against two state legislators: State Sen. Michael Rulli from Mahoning County and state Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus from Stark County. Both candidates are running with similar issues, such as securing Ohio’s southern border and increasing production of oil and gas within the state instead of importing energy from abroad.

Both have better funding and key endorsements from the National Rifle Association, Ohio Right to Life and some East Palestine officials.

Rylan Finzer is a small-business owner from Stark County and Michael Kripchak is an Air Force veteran from Youngstown who works in a restaurant.