HILLSBORO, Ohio — Republican U.S. Rep. Brad Wenstrup of Ohio’s 2nd Congressional District has announced that he will not seek reelection, as revealed in a video posted on X. Citing a desire to prioritize family, Wenstrup, a seasoned surgeon and Army Reserve colonel, expressed his readiness to step away from the demanding pace of Washington at the end of his term next year.
The district includes all of Adams, Brown, Pike, Clermont, Highland, Clinton, Ross, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Gallia, Meigs, Lawrence, and Scioto Counties, as well as parts of Fayette County.
Originally elected in 2012 to represent eastern portions of Cincinnati, Wenstrup’s district has since expanded to cover 16 southern Ohio counties. Despite residing in Hillsboro, Highland County, where he owns a farm, he has maintained an active role in Washington, particularly on the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Critics have labeled the subcommittee’s work as a “political stunt,” but Wenstrup remains committed to addressing pandemic-related issues in his remaining 14 months.
As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, Wenstrup has questioned the government’s handling of COVID’s origins, specifically scrutinizing theories about the Wuhan Institute of Virology. In December 2022, the Republican minority report expressed dissatisfaction with the explanation attributing the virus to animals sold at a Wuhan market.
Wenstrup gained national attention in June 2017 during a tragic incident in Alexandria, Virginia, when a gunman targeted Republican lawmakers practicing for a charity baseball game. As a military surgeon, he rushed to aid Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, showcasing his medical expertise by assessing and attempting to halt Scalise’s injuries caused by the shooting.