Letter

As Oak Run Township’s representative on the Madison County Republican Central Committee, I believe voters deserve clear, factual information about the candidates and decisions shaping our party. The following letter was sent to Republican constituents to outline key races in the May 5 primary, share endorsement outcomes, and provide my perspective on the candidates seeking to represent our community.

Dear Republican Resident of Oak Run Township,

Hello! I hope this letter finds you well. My name is Josh Lickliter, and I have been a lifelong resident of Madison County and an Oak Run Township resident since 2014. I am nineteen years old, a full-time employee, a college student, a trustee of the Madison County Fish & Game Association near Madison Lake, and I serve as Oak Run Township’s representative on the Madison County Republican Central Committee (MCRCC). According to available records, this is the first time our township has had representation on the county central committee since 2002.

The Republican County Central Committee serves as the governing body of the Republican Party at the county level. Its responsibilities include party leadership, organization, candidate support, issuing endorsements in contested primaries, and filling vacancies in elected office when they occur. Members of the committee are elected once every four years, simultaneously with Ohio’s statewide executive elections. I will be unopposed in retaining this seat.

On February 3, 2026, the MCRCC met to hear from candidates and issue endorsements in contested Republican primaries. This process allows committee members and the public to meet candidates directly, ask questions, and determine who we believe is best prepared to serve Madison County and uphold conservative values. My goal with this letter is to inform my neighbors about the upcoming May 5, 2026, Republican primary and the choices on our ballot.

In the gubernatorial race, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy of Cincinnati was the only candidate to seek our endorsement, and he received it unanimously. He is in a primary with engineer Casey Putsch of Perrysburg and businesswoman Heather Hill of McConnellsville. Ramaswamy also holds endorsements from President Trump and the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee. I recognize that some grassroots conservatives have reservations about this race, as do I. Still, the practical reality is that unity is critical to ensure Ohio does not return to top-down lockdown governance and bureaucratic overreach. Information can be found at VivekForOhio.com, PutschForOhio.com, and FightLikeHill.com.

For Congress, incumbent Rep. Mike Carey of Columbus faces a Republican primary challenge from Sam Ronan of Lancaster. Congressman Carey has delivered tangible results for Madison County, including securing funding for London’s new police station and supporting the county’s 911 dispatching system. Ronan, an Air Force veteran and former Democratic National Committee chairman candidate, is now known primarily for online progressive activism. The committee endorsed Rep. Carey by a 28–0 vote, with one abstention. I strongly support Congressman Carey’s re-election. Additional information is available at CareyForCongress.com and SamRonan.com.

In the State Representative race, incumbent Representative Brian Stewart of Ashville faces a rematch with Patty Hamilton of Stoutsville. Rep. Stewart currently serves as Chairman of the Ohio House Finance Committee, but my support for him is grounded in his conservative legislative record. He supported Ohio’s permitless concealed carry law, voted to strengthen parental rights in education, backed restrictions on taxpayer-funded abortion, and opposed government-imposed mandates that infringe on personal liberty. He has consistently supported balanced state budgets without broad-based tax increases and worked to restrain spending growth. As Finance Chairman, he has also helped direct state resources toward workforce development and public safety rather than bureaucracy, resulting in $1.03 million in state funding for Madison County, including support for a new lab at Tolles Technical Center. The committee endorsed Rep. Stewart by a 27–2 vote, and I proudly support his re-election. More information is available at StewartForOhio.com and Patty4OhioRep.com.

On the State Central Committee, our incumbent female representative, Michelle Anderson of London, was endorsed as part of the unopposed slate because she had no challenger at the time of our meeting. After the filing deadline, it seemed that Patty Hamilton also filed for this position. I strongly support Michelle Anderson for this role. She has been a consistent conservative voice on the State Central Committee and works tirelessly to ensure our candidates are elected across Ohio. Information is available through Michelle Anderson for State Central Committee on Facebook and at Patty4OhioRep.com.

For the male State Central Committee seat, two candidates are running: SCC incumbent Clayton Henson of Canal Winchester, and Brian Gillem, a Franklin County GOP committeeman. No candidate sought our endorsement in this race. To my knowledge, Mr. Gillem is the only candidate who has attended Madison County GOP meetings. Henson was appointed and has not yet faced an election.

For Secretary of State, Treasurer Robert Sprague of Findlay and Marcell Strbich of Montgomery County, a career retired military officer and election integrity advocate, are seeking the nomination. Both candidates emphasized election security reforms, including paper ballots and primarily in-person voting, with limited exceptions. This was one of the most difficult decisions of the evening, as both candidates possess the background, platform, and commitment to serve honorably and effectively. I was very impressed by Mr. Strbich’s energy and passion for election-related issues. Treasurer Sprague has statewide executive experience and a record of seeking and winning public office. The committee endorsed Sprague by a 23–6 vote. Sprague was also recently endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee. The candidate’s sites are SpragueForOhio.com and StrbichForOhio.com.

The State Treasurer race features State Senator Kristina Roegner of Hudson and former State Representative Jay Edwards of Nelsonville. Senator Roegner campaigned on her legislative record and a detailed fiscal agenda rooted in transparency and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. Edwards has emphasized moving state funds into community banks. Edwards was a member of the “Blue 22” who partnered with Democrats to select an Ohio House speaker despite the GOP caucus's decision. Roegner is endorsed by Ramaswamy, while Vice President Vance and Senator Moreno endorsed Edwards. The committee unanimously endorsed Senator Roegner. More information is available at KristinaRoegner.com and EdwardsForOhio.com.

Three candidates sought endorsement for the Supreme Court of Ohio: Judges Jill Lanzinger and Andrew King of the Courts of Appeals, and former Judge Colleen O’Donnell. Judge Ron Lewis is also a candidate, but did not seek an endorsement. Judge O’Donnell brings experience as a Franklin County Common Pleas Judge and as an immigration judge in Texas, and she received the party’s endorsement. I personally supported Judge Andrew King based on his experience as an assistant prosecutor, as legal counsel to state offices, and as an appellate judge. Additional information is available at ODonnellForOhio.com, VoteAndrewKing.com, JudgeJillFlaggLanzinger.com, and JudgeRonLewis.com.

In the unopposed slate, the committee endorsed Jon Husted for U.S. Senate, Keith Faber for Attorney General, Frank LaRose for State Auditor, Dan Hawkins for Supreme Court, Matthew Byrne and Robert Hendrickson for Court of Appeals, Michele Reynolds for State Senate, and Tony Xenikis for County Commissioner.

The Madison County GOP will host our annual Lincoln Day Dinner on April 14. Our speaker will be Lt. Governor candidate, Senate President Rob McColley. More information is available on the party’s Facebook page. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. It is a great honor to serve our township and county party, and I respectfully ask for your vote of confidence in the Republican primary on May 5.

Sincerely yours,