COLUMBUS – Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) announced Thursday the creation of a screening committee to interview candidates for appointment to the soon-to-be vacant 68th District seat.
That seat is currently held by state Rep. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township), who announced his resignation on Jan. 25 to become senior vice president of government affairs at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. He is stepping down from the Ohio House effective Feb. 27.
“The appointment will be for the remainder of the current two-year term, which expires at the end of 2022,” said a press release issued by Cupp’s office.
In an open letter to his constituents, Carfagna wrote, “I regret the suddenness of this decision and acknowledge that the timing is far from ideal, but opportunity is seldom convenient and rarely do schedules ever perfectly align.”
Cupp said of Carfagna after the initial announcement, “Rick is a legislator’s legislator. He’s tackled many important issues and has never been afraid to roll up his sleeves and do the hard work necessary to craft sound public policy. He will be missed in the Ohio House, but I know he will continue having a positive impact on Ohio in his new position.”
In his letter, Carfagna said the new position gave him an “opportunity to continue doing what I love well beyond my legislative shelf-life, shaping public policy to advance the economic well-being and quality of life for all Ohioans. … This role will allow me to focus on the issues I believe matter the most for our economy, including workforce, infrastructure, healthcare, education, energy and technology, among others.”
Carfagna, a former Genoa Township trustee, quickly rose in the ranks to become assistant majority floor leader in the Ohio House. He served on the Finance, Government Oversight, Insurance and Public Utilities committees. His website said his recent legislative accomplishments included the Ohio Personal Privacy Act, and he was a champion of broadband expansion.
Cupp’s release said members of the screening committee will be state Reps. Laura Lanese (R-Grove City), Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison), Jim Hoops (R-Napoleon), Marilyn John (R-Richland County), Don Jones (R-Freeport) and Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton).
The 68th District covers eastern Delaware County and all of Knox County, and the Ohio House is currently in the 134th General Assembly.
“Residents of the 68th District wishing to be considered for the appointment must submit a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by noon on Monday, February 28,” the release concluded. “Interviews will be held on Tuesday, March 1.”
For more information, visit www.ohiohouse.gov.
