By Cindi Andrews
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Republicans will battle each other for several area General Assembly seats in the March primary, according to filings completed by Friday's filing deadline.

A three-way primary for the 29th House District in northwest Hamilton County, for instance, will include state Sen. Louis Blessing of Colerain Township, about to be forced from his current seat by term limits. The other Republicans in the race are Colerain Township Trustee Keith Corman and Springfield Township Clerk John Waksmundski.

The House seat is vacant because Patricia Clancy of Colerain Township, its current occupant, is also facing term limits, so she's running for Blessing's Senate seat.

Friday was the deadline for prospective candidates across Ohio to submit petitions to run for county and state legislative seats that are up this year. County boards of elections still must verify signatures and certify the candidates. The primary is earlier than usual - March 2 - because it's a presidential election year.

Among the contested primaries:

• In Clermont County, current state Reps. Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, and Jean Schmidt, R-Miami Township will square off in the Republican primary for the state Senate seat being vacated by Senate President Doug White, R-Manchester. All will leave their positions because of term limits.

• Four Republicans are vying for the 66th House District seat being vacated by Schmidt: Donovan L. Donohoo Jr. of Batavia, Carl Dorsch of Union Township; Mark J. Daniels of Union Township and Joseph W. Uecker of Miami Township.

• Three Republicans are competing for Niehaus' 88th House District seat: Harry Cooper Snyder of Batavia Township, Curt Carl Hartman of Pierce Township and Danny R. Bubp.

• In eastern Hamilton County, incumbent state Rep. Tom Brinkman of Mount Lookout has primary competition for his 34th District seat, from attorney Greg Delev of Anderson Township.

• In Butler County, Commissioner Mike Fox is defending his seat against a challenge by fellow Republican Greg Jolivette, a state representative being forced out by term limits. Whoever wins the primary will face West Chester Township Trustee Catherine Stoker, a Democrat, in November.

• Warren County's most crowded ballot is for the commissioner seat Larry Crisenbery is vacating. Four Republicans are vying for that spot: Dave Young of Deerfield Township, Tom Spellmire of Lebanon, Mason Councilman John McCurley and John Lazares of Maineville, superintendent of the Warren County Educational Service Center.

• In Clermont County, Republican Barbara A. Wiedenbein of Union Township and Democrat Chris King of Miami Township will compete to be the county's first Common Pleas clerk of courts. Officials split the clerk of courts office last year because of the workload.

Who filed in Hamilton County

The following candidates filed petitions Friday for the March 2 primary. The winner of a primary election will represent the party in the November general election.

U.S. Representative, 1st Congressional District

Steve Chabot of Westwood, Republican (incumbent)

Greg Harris of Clifton, Democrat

Richard Lerner of Amberley Village, Democrat

U.S. Representative, 2nd Congressional District

Rob Portman of Terrace Park, Republican (incumbent)

Mark A. Crummie of Manchester, Democrat

Charles W. Sanders of Waynesville, Democrat

Ohio Court of Appeals judge, 1st District

Sylvia Sieve Hendon of Delhi Township, Republican

State Senator, 8th District

Patricia M. Clancy of Colerain Township, Republican

Jeannette Harrison of Springfield Township, Democrat

State Representative, 28th District

Wayne Coates of Forest Park, Democrat

Jim Raussen of Springdale, Republican (incumbent)

State Representative, 29th District

Louis W. Blessing Jr. of Colerain Township, Republican

Keith N. Corman of Colerain Township, Republican

John Waksmundski of Springfield Township, Republican

Joseph W. Wolterman of Colerain Township, Democrat

State Representative, 30th District

William J. Seitz of Green Township, Republican (incumbent)

Ann Thompson of Green Township, Democrat

State Representative, 31st District

Steve Driehaus of Price Hill, Democrat (incumbent)

Pete Witte of Price Hill, Republican

State Representative, 32nd District

Catherine L. Barrett of College Hill, Democrat (incumbent)

State Representative, 33rd District

Tyrone K. Yates of Walnut Hills, Democrat (incumbent)

Tom Jones of Avondale, Republican

State Representative, 34th District

Tom Brinkman of Mount Lookout, Republican (incumbent)

Greg Delev of Anderson Township, Republican

Glen Miller of Anderson Township, Democrat

State Representative, 35th District

Michelle G. Schneider of Madeira, Republican (incumbent)

County Commissioner

Todd Portune of Westwood, Democrat (incumbent)

David E. Grossmann of Springfield Township, Republican

Sandra F. Hall of Deer Park, Republican

Russell L. Jackson Jr. of Anderson Township, Republican

Chris Monzel of Winton Place, Republican

County Commissioner

John S. Dowlin of Sharonville, Republican (incumbent)

Pat DeWine of Pleasant Ridge, Republican

Kabaka Oba of Lincoln Heights, Democrat

Erich A. Streckfuss of Westwood, Democrat

County prosecutor

Michael K. Allen of Cleves, Republican (incumbent)

Clerk of Courts

Greg Hartmann of Mount Lookout, Republican (incumbent)

Edwin A. Large of Mount Lookout, Democrat

Sheriff

Simon L. Leis Jr. of Green Township, Republican (incumbent)

Recorder

Rebecca Prem Groppe of Mariemont, Republican (incumbent)

Eve Bolton of College Hill, Democrat

Treasurer

Robert A. Goering of Indian Hill, Republican (incumbent)

Bob M. Drake of Anderson Township, Democrat

Engineer

William W. Brayshaw of Symmes Township, Republican (incumbent)

Coroner

Carl L. Parrott of North Avondale, Republican (incumbent)

O'Dell M. Owens of North Avondale, Democrat

Common Pleas Judge

Patrick Dinkelacker, Republican (incumbent)

Common Pleas Judge

Robert P. Ruehlman, Republican (incumbent)

Common Pleas Judge

John Andrew West, Republican (incumbent)

Common Pleas Judge

Ralph E. Winkler, Republican

Common Pleas Judge

Beth A. Myers, Republican (incumbent)

Common Pleas Judge

Ethna Marie Cooper, Republican (incumbent)

Juvenile Court Judge

Thomas R. Lipps, Republican (incumbent)

Domestic Relations Judge

Ronald A. Panioto, Republican (incumbent)

Domestic Relations Judge

Susan Laker Tolbert, Republican (incumbent)

CLERMONT COUNTY

State Senator, 14th District

Thomas E. Niehaus, Republican

Jeannette Schmidt, Republican

Paul Schwietering, Democrat

State Representative, 66th District

Donovan L. Donohoo Jr., Republican

Carl Dorsch, Republican

Jeffrey A. Hardin, Republican

Mark J. Daniels, Republican

Joseph W. Uecker, Republican

State Representative, 88th District

Cyrus B. Richardson Jr., Democrat

Harry Cooper Snyder, Republican

Curt Carl Hartman, Republican

Danny R. Bubp, Republican

Common Pleas Judge

William Walker, Republican (incumbent)

Domestic Relations Judge

Michael J. Voris, Republican (incumbent)

County Commissioner

Mary C. Walker, Republican (incumbent)

Peter J. Strasser, Democrat

County commissioner

Robert L. Proud, Republican Incumbent

Prosecuting Attorney

Donald W. White, Republican (incumbent)

Common Pleas Clerk of Courts

Barbara A. Wiedenbein, Republican

Chris King, Democrat

Sheriff

Albert J. Rodenberg Jr., Republican (incumbent

County Recorder

Deborah J. Clepper, Republican

Carolyn Green, Republican (incumbent

County Treasurer

J. Robert True, Republican (incumbent)

County Engineer

Patrick J. Manger, Republican (incumbent)

Coroner

Raymond Lee Davidson, Republican

Brian Treon, Republican (incumbent)

Enquirer reporters Marie McCain, Erica Solvig and Gregory Korte contributed. E-mail candrews@enquirer.com