Jane Timken, leader of the Ohio Republican Party, has stepped down from her position, just one more sign that she might be running for U.S. Senate in 2022.
Timken has been at the helm of the Ohio Republican Party since 2017, but party spokesman Evan Machan says she resigned Friday morning.
“Chairman Timken decided to resign today and announce that she will be making a decision about her future plans in the coming weeks," Machan says.
Machan won’t say whether those plans involve running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio).
Timken said in a statement that she leaves with former President Donald Trump as the leader of the Republican Party, and that she will do all she can to advance what she calls “conservative, America First policies to strengthen Ohio."
With Trump's backing, Timken took over the party leadership from a state chair allied with former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. State Republicans have done well during her four years, sweeping every state executive office in the 2018 elections and maintain supermajorities in both chambers of the Ohio legislature.
Timken previously served as vice chair of the Stark County Republican Party. While untried as a statewide candidate herself, she is well-connected and wealthy.
No candidates on either side of the aisle have officially announced they're running for Senate. On Thursday, former Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Amy Acton – rumored to be a contender for the Democratic nomination – stepped down from her role at the Columbus Foundation to "carefully consider" her plans. Rep. Tim Ryan (R-Ohio) is also considred to be a likely candidate.
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted are among the prominent Republicans who already announced they would not run for Senate.
