2 potential candidates nix race for Congress

9/25/2007

With a Friday deadline for submitting petitions to run for Ohio's 5th Congressional District seat, two potential contenders have elected to sit out the campaign.

Karen Gillmor, a former state senator whose late husband, Paul, served the district for 10 terms until his death Sept. 5, has opted not to run so she can raise the couple's three sons in Ohio, Republicans close to the family said.

"She knows that she can't do that if she runs for Congress," said Adam Greenslade, chairman of the Sandusky County Republican Party. "She made that vow and plans to stick by it."

Rex Damschroder, a former state representative who challenged Mr. Gillmor in the 2002 Republican primary, also has decided not to run for Congress.

Mr. Damschroder pulled petitions from the Wood County Board of Elections to run, but said at the time he wanted to get a sense of the competition before making a decision.

Michael J. Reynolds, a retiree living in Columbus Grove, yesterday declared his candidacy as a Republican, saying in a statement that he would honor the legacy of the late congressman. whose name he misspelled as "Gilmore."

State Sen. Steve Buehrer (R., Delta) and State Rep. Bob Latta also are running for the Republican nomination.

The primary is Nov. 6, followed by a runoff election Dec. 11.