89th District race set with 3 candidates

PERKINS TWP. — The list of candidates for the Ohio House District 89 race has been set. The candidates in the race are: • Caleb Stidham, of Perkins Township, the Republican nominee and current Erie County treasurer • Easton Retzke, of Sandusky, the Democratic nominee • Steve Kraus, of Catawba Island, a Republican who has chosen to run as a write-in candidate The deadline for people to file as write-in candidates came and went following a 4 p.m. Monday cutoff point. Meeting in a special meeting Monday after the deadline passed, members of the Erie County Board of Elections voted, 4-0, to approve Kraus as a write-in candidate. The Register plans to host a debate in October featuring House District 89 candidates. All three have agreed to participate. House District 89 includes Erie County, almost all of Ottawa County and a small portion of Huron County. Republicans needed a new candidate after the incumbent, state Rep. D.J. Swearingen, R-Huron, announced he is withdrawing his re-election campaign. Swearingen explained that he is seeking an appointment to a new government job and did not believe he should run for re-election if he might have to leave the Ohio House soon. He hasn't identified the post he is seeking. When asked for an update earlier this week, Swearingen said he does not yet have any news to announce.