Ron Lewis, a state appeals judge from Xenia who hopes to win a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court, is withdrawing his name from seeking the party’s endorsement in the upcoming primary election – even though he already won a pre-vote among those who make the formal pick.
In a Tuesday letter to members of the Ohio Republican Party’s central committee, a collection of elected insiders who make endorsements, Lewis cited his concerns that a contested endorsement could divide the party.
The committee had been getting set to meet next week to consider endorsing in the race.
He described himself as declining the party’s endorsement, although it’s unclear whether Lewis had the needed votes. Getting an endorsement would require votes from 44 of the committee’s 66 members – a high bar, and more than what’s needed for an incumbent Republican to be endorsed for reelection.
“My reasoning is rooted not in personal hesitation, but rather in a deep concern for the unity of our Party as we approach the difficult and consequential midterm election cycle in 2026,” wrote Lewis, adding he still plans to seek the GOP nomination for the race.
Lewis facing internal questions over tax issues
Lewis’ letter comes as he’s faced controversy among party insiders over tax issues he experienced a decade ago while law director for Xenia, a city in the Dayton area. The backlash intensified after a special Ohio Republican Party committee voted on Aug. 16 to recommend Lewis for an endorsement in the May 2026 primary election.
While the vote was only preliminary, it was definitive enough to drive a major candidate out of the race: current Supreme Court Justice Pat Fischer, who had been attempting to run for a different seat on the court.
Whoever wins the primary election in May likely will go on in November to face Democratic Justice Jennifer Brunner, who’s yet to draw a Democratic challenger.
More about the tax controversy
Lewis has served on the 2nd District Court of Appeals since late 2021, when Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the seat to fill a vacancy.
Before that, Lewis spent years as a city official in Xenia, including as Xenia’s law director from 2001 to 2016
While serving as law director in 2014, the city’s finance director filed a criminal charge against Lewis for a failure to pay taxes. A July 2014 article from the Dayton Daily News describes the issue as relating to “self employment income” from 2008 to 2013.
At the time, Lewis, who worked for Xenia part time, also performed legal work for other area communities, an arrangement that’s not uncommon in local government.
“There’s no question I made an error,” Lewis told the newspaper at the time. “It has all been taken care of. It’s been resolved. I thought I had longer to take care of it and resolve it.”
Lewis paid the disputed taxes, and a court ended up dismissing the charge in September 2014, according to the Dayton Daily News. The newspaper said records it had obtained didn’t indicate how much money Lewis had owed.
But Lewis’ campaign told Signal the disputed amount was $2,296.28. Lewis paid a penalty as part of his legal settlement.
Lewis in a statement on Tuesday called the situation a “misunderstanding” over his tax obligations. He also described the legal result as exonerating him of wrongdoing.
“At the time, rather than litigate the issue, I believed that it was in the best interest of the city and its residents to settle the case. By doing so I avoided accumulating costly fees for the city and ultimately the taxpayers of the community in which I have lived my entire life and have dedicated so much time to serving,” Lewis said.
Signal Ohio has contacted two officials quoted in the Dayton Daily News stories. One, a former city councilman, said in a brief phone interview he didn’t recall the situation.
Lewis experiences blowback
Those backing Lewis’ Republican opponents have questioned publicly whether Lewis was forthcoming with members of the Ohio Republican Party screening committee that issued the recommendation earlier this month.
Ohio Republican Party committee members also have discussed the controversy internally, including wondering whether it may cost him votes with the committee or the general public, according to sources close to the race.
But several people who served on the candidate screening committee declined to comment on the process, citing a request from party leadership for the process to remain confidential.
Dave Johnson, an influential committee member who led the screening committee, in an interview on Tuesday acknowledged that questions have emerged about the candidates, a development he called “unfortunate.”
“There were some questions on one candidate frankly with regard to how they responded in the questionnaires,” Johnson said. “I’ve spoken to them and I have full understanding of their position. And all I can tell you is that has to remain confidential right now.”
Lewis told Signal he explained the case in his screening interview.
“Any suggestion that I did not pay my taxes or was required to disclose a charge that was expunged is ignorant of the law and the facts of what transpired. I greatly appreciate the Screening Committee’s detailed consideration and the opportunity to share my side of the story,” Lewis said.
What happens next
The Ohio Republican Party’s central committee is scheduled to meet on Friday, Sept. 5. It is expected to consider endorsing in next year’s Ohio Supreme Court election.
There are two races the party will consider – one involves an incumbent, Justice Dan Hawkins, who is uncontested and expected to be endorsed.
The other is the crowded primary election for candidates seeking Brunner’s seat. That race features four candidates: Lewis, Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge Andrew King and ex-Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell. Rocky River Municipal Court Judge Joseph Burke contacted Signal late Tuesday and said he also remains in the race and “is considering all available options.”
Fischer, meanwhile, dropped out earlier this month after failing to get the recommendation from the screening committee. It’s unclear whether he may end up reconsidering their decision if the party ends up not following through on its plans to endorse after all.
Why Signal is covering this story
We typically shy away from covering political inside baseball in Columbus.
But the Ohio Republican Party could have an outsized influence on who ends up ultimately winning this election. Court rules limit judicial candidates from some traditional campaigning and fundraising activities. And such races tend to fly under voters’ attention.
So party endorsements are very beneficial, especially in a Republican-leaning state like Ohio. Following the process closely ensures voters understand what’s going on in this powerful institution. An endorsement could end up being decisive in the race, while a non-endorsement would make it far more likely there will be a wide-open GOP primary election.
The Ohio Supreme Court, meanwhile, is the top court in Ohio. It is the final decider on all criminal convictions that are appealed. It also often helps decide hot-button political questions like those involving abortion, education and redistricting, the process of drawing state legislative and congressional district maps.
Republicans currently hold six of the court’s seven seats. Brunner, Ohio’s lone remaining Democrat to be elected statewide, holds the seventh.
This story has been updated to reflect that Joseph Burke has not dropped out of the Supreme Court race.