Breaking: DeWine to resign at April 13 GOP meeting

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting:

Under unrelenting pressure from Gov. John Kasich and his political aides, Kevin DeWine will announce his resignation tonight as chairman of the Ohio Republican Party.


DeWine, 44, has prepared a letter to the 66 members of the GOP state central committee, saying he will step down when the party’s governing body meets to reorganize on April 13.

DeWine had previously announced he would not seek re-election to the chairman's position, but Kasich and others had asked him to resign immediately.   Following the primary election, Kasich was thought to have the votes to oust DeWine.

According to The Dispatch, DeWine's resignation letter was to be emailed at 9 p.m..

“Now, factions within our party are aligned to fight over who is best to lead us forward. A meeting looms where that fight could erupt into a party-splitting dispute that no one will win and everyone will lament.

“I am honored by the large number of State Central Committee members who are willing, even eager, to fight to sustain my leadership. Yet I cannot in good conscience let that fight go forward. If I did, it would be putting my personal interests over the party’s best interests. And I care too much about our work to do that.”

Past party chairman Bob Bennet is rumored to be the choice to lead the party, at least on an interim basis.

Matt Hurley at Weapons of Mass Discussion has the text of the resignation letter.