Court ruling keeps Stidham on Ohio House ballot

SANDUSKY — The Ohio Supreme Court ruled that Caleb Stidham will remain on the ballot as the Republican nominee in the Ohio House District 89 race. The Ohio Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit filed by Carl Koebel, a Democratic former county commissioner in Ottawa County, that challenged the legality of Stidham's appointment by a meeting of Republican Party officials from Erie, Ottawa and Huron counties. Koebel argued that the meeting should have followed Ohio's open meetings law. Stidham, who's also the Erie County treasurer, will be opposed on Nov. 3 by Easton Retzke, the Democratic nominee, and Steve Kraus, a Republican who is running as a write-in candidate. None of the seven members of the Ohio Supreme Court sided with Koebel, although they filed four separate opinions arguing about why Koebel's opinion should be rejected. Some argued that Koebel waited too long to bring his lawsuit, while others wrote that he lacked standing to bring a lawsuit. Still another opinion said the Republican officials did not have to follow the open meetings law. The decision was not released until Friday night with an email announcing the decision arriving in a reporter's inbox at about 7 p.m. Friday. The 89th House district includes Erie County, most of Ottawa County and a portion of Huron County. Republicans needed a new candidate after the incumbent, former state Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, ended his re-election campaign because he was seeking a federal government job. Swearingen announced Oct. 1 that he has taken a job as an attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice, in an anti-fraud unit. He resigned his seat in the Ohio House.