Breaking news from Jonathan Starkey at the News Journal:
Republican Sen. Greg Lavelle will not seek the governor’s office next year, according to a letter the lawmaker sent to political supporters. […] Lavelle told supporters this week he “had given a lot of thought” to a run for governor, but said personal commitments prevented him from launching a campaign.
“I have decided that now is not the time for me to take on this challenge,” Lavelle wrote. “At this time, the personal bandwidth just doesn’t exist to create and sustain the time needed to run for Governor, while maintaining and addressing my current and varied responsibilities.”
That leaves Lacey Lafferty and Colin Bonini the only two announced and possible GOP candidates. I suppose it is possible that Charlie Copeland could get in, but I doubt it. More likely is that Senator Gerald Hocker will try to make a run. Starkey notes that Treasurer Ken Simpler has already ruled out running for Governor.