The process is ongoing to find a new leader for the Ohio Democratic Party after Chairwoman Liz Walters announced her resignation earlier this month.

The field now has one less candidate: Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Chairman Dave Brock announced Wednesday that he won’t be seeking the job. He said in an interview he seriously considered running, but there are multiple factors contributing to his decision to pass.

“The pathway to victory is there, but it’s not clear cut,” Brock said. “At the end of the day, it seemed right to stay here because there’s so much we want to do.”

Brock’s departure came a few days before the first candidate forum for the candidates running for ODP chair. 

Ohio Young Democrats is hosting their convention in Columbus on Saturday and has invited the candidates to attend. Kim Agyekum, the group’s president, said four of them – state Sen. Bill DeMora, Tamie Wilson, Lauren Worley and Green County Democratic Chairwoman Kim McCarthy – are expected to be there.

Kathleen Clyde, a former state lawmaker from Kent, is sending someone to speak on her behalf. Clyde has backing from former Sen. Sherrod Brown, who is widely believed among state Democrats to be preparing for a potential run for governor next year.

Ohio Young Democrats are soliciting questions on behalf of members for Agyekum, who is moderating the forum, to ask the candidates.

“They want ot hear about organizing from the grassroots level up, how the new chair plans on engaging young Dems both within the party and through electoral means and how the party is focusing on the working class,” Agyekum said.

More forums are planned before June 10, when the party’s executive committee will meet in Columbus to vote on a new chair.

Walters had led the state party since January 2021. She announced he resignation earlier this month, a year before her term was set to expire, to become the CEO of a Washington, D.C. political data form.