Ohio Republican Party Chairman Kevin DeWine, who led the GOP to rousing victories in his state two years ago, told fellow party members Sunday that he will resign next year. DeWine has been engaged in a high-profile feud with Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich.
"For the sake of achieving unity, continuity, and victory, I will continue to direct all my energies toward re-electing Republicans and defeating Barack Obama and [Ohio Democratic Sen.] Sherrod Brown’s liberal agenda in 2012," DeWine wrote in an e-mail to members of the Ohio GOP state central committee that was obtained by
Politico.
"Then, in 2013, I will proudly pass the torch of responsibility for our Party to whomever you, as an elected member of the State Central Committee, believes has the sound ideas, ability and vision to re-elect Gov. Kasich, and our other statewide office holders, legislators, and local leaders."
DeWine's resignation eliminates the potential for a clash with the central committee, which might not be comfortable having a chairman who’s fighting with the governor while Kasich is running for re-election, Politico reports.
DeWine alluded to the dispute in his e-mail. "Over the past year our State Central Committee has become the center of a highly-charged contest for the future of the Ohio Republican Party," he wrote. "Too many Members, through no fault of their own, have lost sleep, lost friends, and lost hope during this process. I believe that in order to ensure victory for 2012, this family fight must end now."
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