Shane Wilkin Declares Candidacy for 17th District Ohio Senate Seat

Presented By Rathkamp Financial

(Hillsboro) – Republican State Representative Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) announced that he will be a candidate for Ohio’s 17^th Senate District in 2022. Since 2018, Wilkin has served as the state representative for Ohio’s 91^st House District and was previously elected three terms as a Highland County Commissioner.

State Senator Bob Peterson (R-Sabina), who currently serves in the senate seat, is term-limited at the end of 2022. Ohio’s 17^th Senate District includes Clinton, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, and Vinton Counties. 

Rep. Wilkin issued the following statement about his campaign for the Ohio Senate: “It has been a great honor for me to serve the people of the 91^stDistrict in the Ohio House. During my time as state representative, I have worked tirelessly to help businesses remain open during the pandemic and bring significant resources back to our community to create jobs so the families of our district can thrive. I have been able to use my experience as a small business owner to cut wasteful government spending and put more money back into your pocket where it belongs. I am confident that Ohio’s best days are ahead of us, and I look forward to continuing to provide conservative solutions to our most pressing issues as a member of the Ohio Senate.” 

This past week, Rep. Wilkin’s legislation, the Ohio Business Fairness Act, was passed unanimously by the Ohio Senate and sent to Governor DeWine for his signature. The bill was crafted as a result of the decisions made during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, where some businesses were forced to close their doors while others were allowed to remain open. Wilkin’s legislation would end that inequity and level the playing field for all of Ohio’s businesses, particularly smaller locally-owned businesses.  

In his past elections for the Ohio House, Wilkin was endorsed by the Buckeye Firearms Association, the National Rifle Association (earning an “A” rating), the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB Ohio), and Ohio Right to Life. Additionally, Rep. Wilkin earned the Award for Conservative Achievement from the American Conservative Union – one of the highest ratings for conservative leadership in Ohio issued by the founders of CPAC. Rep. Wilkin and his wife, Kristy, live near Hillsboro with their two daughters, Piper and Parker. 

Wilkin is actively involved in the community. He is a small business owner and previously served as the Chairman of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission and board member of both the Community Improvement Corporation and the Highland District Hospital Foundation.