Kidd was in South Point on Friday

U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup, R-Ohio, is retiring at year’s end and the campaign to fill his 2nd District congressional seat has drawn a crowded field.

On Saturday, the first of the many running for the office made a visit to Lawrence County.

Larry Kidd, a businessman and former vice chair of the Jackson County Republican Party, visited the South Point Bob Evans restaurant, where he hosted a meet and greet event.

Kidd, who was recently endorsed by the Scioto County Republican Party for his party’s nomination, was a member of the Donald Trump delegation to the Republican National Convention in both 2016 and 2020.

Altogether, 11 Republicans are vying for the nomination for the seat. The winner of the primary will face Democrat Samantha Meadows in the fall general election.

This week will see two more Republicans make stops in the county, with more likely to follow as the March 19 primary draws near.

Businessman Tom Hwang will sponsor a Republican breakfast at The Shakery in Ironton at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 1. While businessman and former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor Tim O’Hara will visit Friday at The Shakery from 1-1:45 p.m. and the Snak Shak in South Point from 2-4 p.m. O’Hara will also make a stop at the Lawrence County Senior Center, located in Rome Township, at 10:30 a.m.

Wenstrup has represented the 2nd District, which covers the southernmost counties in Ohio, since 2013. Lawrence County was moved into the 2nd District in 2023, following statewide redistricting. The county had previously been part of the 6th District, represented by Republican Bill Johnson.

Johnson retired from Congress earlier this year, to take a position as president of Youngstown State University. A special election to fill the remainder of the term on the 2nd District seat will appear on the  March 19 ballots in that district, in addition to the term beginning in 2025.