Pat DeWine Leaves Race For Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Pat DeWine said he's dropping out of the race for chief justice of the court.

DeWine, a Republican and the son of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, said he decided the best way to ensure a conservative majority on the court is to run for re-election to his current seat in the 2022 election. The 53-year-old DeWine made the announcement Tuesday.

DeWine's decision narrows the chief justice race to Justice Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, and Justice Sharon Kennedy, a Republican. Current GOP Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor must leave her seat due to age limits. The court's current make-up is a 4-3 GOP majority.

DeWine has served on the court since since 2017.