COLUMBUS — Vinton County Judge Philip H. Rose has been selected by the House Republican Caucus to be appointed to the vacant 87th House District seat.

“Our caucus is honored that Judge Rose will be joining the Ohio House of Representatives,” said Speaker William Batchelder. “He is a longtime devoted member of the community and I know that he will do good work for the residents of the 87th District during this interim period.”

Previously the GOP Caucus had said that it would allow the winner of the Republican primary in March to take Carey’s seat for the remainder of the term.

Having previously served as chairman of the Ohio Judicial Conference from 2000-2002, Judge Rose currently works as an attorney at Oths, Heiser & Miller, LLC in Wellston and has maintained an extensive legal background. Among other positions, he previously served as the Vinton County Court of Common Pleas judge for the Probate and Juvenile division, acting county court judge for Vinton County, law director for the villages of McArthur, Hamden, and Zaleski, judge for various Common Pleas Courts for the State of Ohio, faculty member for the Ohio Judicial College, and chairman of the Family Court Task Force for the Ohio Supreme Court.

This March Bill Dingus, director of the Lawrence Economic Development Corp., Jim Riepenhoff, Jackson County Commissioner, and Ryan Smith of Gallia County, will square off for the Republican nomination.