The news that Hamilton County Auditor Brigid Kelly had resigned due to health reasons sparked an outpouring of condolences and also brought into focus the question of who will replace her.

Kelly wants Democratic Rep. Jessica Miranda of Forest Park to be Hamilton County’s next auditor, which would set off a search for Miranda’s successor for a contested suburban House seat.

“Rep. Miranda has demonstrated her commitment to transparency, accountability and service at every step of her career,” Kelly wrote in a letter to supporters. “She has put politics aside to advocate for her constituents. She has the background, talent and knowledge to excel in this position.”

In a statement of her own, Miranda said she was honored by Kelly’s recommendation, but did not elaborate on her plans.

“Today, I am focused on supporting Brigid, her family and my constituents as we mourn the loss of her service to the county and celebrate her personal and professional accomplishments,” said Miranda, who serves as minority whip in the House of Representatives.

Who is currently acting as auditor?

Hamilton County Commissioners on Thursday appointed Deputy Chief Auditor Amy Humphrey as interim auditor. Humphrey has worked in the auditor’s office since 2010. In 2022, she worked under Auditor Dusty Rhodes as director of administrative services, payroll records show. After Kelly takes the job, she will be listed in records as deputy chief auditor.

Who selects the candidates?

The Hamilton County Democratic Central Committee, a group of about 300 Democrats, will consider the question of Kelly’s successor at its meeting next month, said Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairwoman Gwen McFarlin. The same committee must decide who will run in November for the remainder of Kelly’s term, which ends March 7, 2027. Both county parties have until Aug. 12 to nominate a candidate.

Who wants to be the next auditor?

McFarlin supports Kelly’s choice of Miranda for the seat. She noted that the party honored the wishes of Hamilton County Commissioner Todd Portune by appointing his chief of staff, Victoria Parks, to the seat when he resigned before his death in 2020. Parks is now a city councilor in Cincinnati.

Behind the scenes, some Democrats mentioned attorney Evan Nolan, a Democrat who works at the Katz Teller law firm and served as treasurer for Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval.

Russ Mock, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party, said the auditor’s seat, which pays $118,884 a year, is attractive to candidates from both parties. On the Republican side, he mentioned as a possibility former Cincinnati City Councilman Charlie Winburn, who was briefly appointed Hamilton County Treasurer in 2021. Winburn is a commissioner of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

What could happen in the 28th district?

And if Miranda gets the auditor seat? Republican Jenn Giroux is already on the ballot for November. A host of elected officials from Deer Park, Forest Park and Sycamore Township could run. Some possibilities: Councilman Neil Kelly of Deer Park; Mayor Aharon Brown of Forest Park; Sycamore Community Schools Board President Sara Bitter and her colleague Victor Harris.

The Hamilton County Democratic Party Central Committee would recommend a candidate, but the decision on the replacement rests with the state Central Committee. Meanwhile, Democrats in the House of Representatives would select someone to fill the remainder of Miranda’s term, which runs through the end of the year.

How competitive is the 28th district?

The 28th District includes the northeastern suburbs of Hamilton County: Forest Park, Springdale, Sharonville, Evendale, Blue Ash, Montgomery, and parts of Symmes Township, Loveland, Kenwood and Deer Park. Miranda has held this seat since 2018, when she narrowly defeated Republican Rep. Jonathan Dever.

This was a closely contested race, but the district leans Democratic because of former President Donald Trump. According to Dave’s Redistricting, the popular redistricting tool, the district is about 53% Democratic.

“The 28th District is a perfect example of how college-educated suburban voters have turned to Democrats in the Trump era,” said Jared Kamrass, a Democratic strategist at Washington, D.C.-based Technicolor Political. “After years of being one of the most competitive districts in the state, Rep. Miranda won it and Republicans have done little to put it back on the map.”

This article originally appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer: Brigid Kelly: Who will be Hamilton County auditor?