Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland (D) on Friday set the dates for the special election to replace the late Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-Ohio), who died suddenly on Sept. 5. [IMGCAP(1)]

The Republican and Democratic primaries will be held on Nov. 5, which coincides with municipal elections in the Northwest Ohio district, and the general election will be on Dec. 11.

The GOP primary is expected to determine the district’s next Member of Congress.

State Rep. Bob Latta (R), who lost narrowly to Gillmor in the 1988 GOP Congressional primary, announced last week that he will run. Two GOP state Senators, Randy Gardner and Steve Buehrer, also are mentioned, as are state Reps. Lynn Wachtman and Mark Wagoner and former state Rep. Jim Hoops.

The Congressman’s widow, Karen Gillmor, a former state Senator and current vice chairwoman of the State Employment Relations Board, also is mentioned.

The district is a GOP stronghold, and even with Ohio Republicans so down and out, Democrats are unlikely to compete for the seat. Two-time nominee Robin Weirauch is the only potential Democratic candidate mentioned so far.

— Josh Kurtz