Mike DeWine Names Jon Husted As Gubernatorial Running Mate

DAYTON, OH — The race for Ohio's vacant governorship gained a little more clarity Thursday. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine named Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted as his running mate, reports say. The two prominent Republicans consolidated their name recognition and will run together for the office, instead of competing.

On Thursday morning, DeWine took to Facebook to write, "A beautiful day in Ohio on the morning I announce my Lieutenant Governor running mate!"

Both the Dayton Daily News and cleveland.com broke the news early on Thursday morning, in advance of DeWine's formal announcement at an event in Dayton. The news will come as a major blow to the gubernatorial hopes of departing Governor John Kasich's Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor and Representative Jim Renacci, two Republicans that were hoping to replace Kasich.

The DeWine-Husted ticket will be a powerhouse in the Republican primary and could set up a rematch between Democrat Richard Cordray and DeWine. The two ran against each other in 2010 to become the state's attorney general, a campaign DeWine won.

The news of Husted joining DeWine comes about two weeks after Cordray formally announced his resignation from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), ostensibly to join the race for Ohio's governorship. Cordray was appointed to the CFPB by former President Barack Obama.

Cordray hasn't officially announced his bid for the governorship. However, Democrats, including Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, state Senator Joe Schiavoni, former state representative Connie Pillich and former U.S. representative Betty Sutton have declared.

Photo from Rick Uldricks, Patch