Political newcomer Brad Wenstrup upset incumbent four-term Rep. Jean Schmidt on Tuesday in the Republican primary in Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Wenstrup, an Army combat surgeon, garnered nearly 49 percent the district’s vote while Schmidt had nearly 43 percent, according to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.
Wenstrup won 50 percent of the vote in Schmidt’s home turf of Clermont County and nearly 59 percent in Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati. The 2nd District stretches from Cincinnati into Appalachia.
Wenstrup challenged Schmidt from the right, favoring a flat tax, promising to repeal President Barack Obama's health care reform and calling for competition among insurers across state lines.
He also believes the U.S. pulled combat troops out of Iraq too quickly.
Schmidt appeared to be the only incumbent House member losing in Ohio, according to Cincinnati.com.
Schmidt has represented Ohio’s 2nd District since 2005, when she won a special election against Democratic Iraq War veteran Paul Hackett. She faced a tough primary in 2006 from former Rep. Bob McEwan but had not had a serious challenge from within her party since. However, opponents had recently branded her as supporting higher taxes.
