By Megan Alley
Sun Reporter
State Senator Joe Uecker announced earlier this month that he’s leaving his legislative job to work for the Ohio Department of Transportation, and since then, a few area politicians have lined up to fill the soon to be open seat.
Uecker, a Republican who represents Ohio’s 14th District, which includes all of Adams, Brown, Clermont, and Scioto Counties as well as a portion of Lawrence County, will officially resign at the end of this month; Aug. 31 will be his last day.
Uecker’s term in the State Senate ends in December 2020.
On Aug. 9, Senate President Larry Obhof announced that the process to fill Uecker’s vacant State Senate seat will happen at the end of the month; a screening committee will be appointed to review applicants.
Candidates vying for the seat include State Representative John Becker.
Becker’s in his final term, which ends in late 2020. If he were to be appointed to the State Senate, Becker would resign his seat in the statehouse, and the Ohio House of Representatives would be tasked with appointing someone to replace him.
When it comes to taking Uecker’s open seat, Becker said he’s “the guy that best represents the conservative values of southern Ohio.”
Other candidates that have interest in taking over Uecker’s seat, according to The Hannah Report, are State Representative Doug Green and former State Representative Terry Johnson.
“It would be my honor to continue to serve the people of Southern Ohio in the Statehouse,” Johnson is quoted as saying. “I am incredibly humbled by the outpouring of support from people in every county of this district urging me to seek the appointment and to run for the seat. Public service is at the core of who I am, and that’s why it would be a privilege to continue to work for the people of Ohio and find conservative solutions to our most pressing issues.”
Johnson represented the 90th House District from 2010 until 2018.
Green did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.