A political candidate looking to secure Ohio’s 9th Congressional District from U.S. Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-09) has ended his 2024 run.
Ohio Republican and former mayor of Walbridge, Dan Wilczynski, has officially dropped out of the race to unseat Congresswoman Kaptur in 2024 who is currently serving her 21st term in Congress.
Wilczynski, from Walbridge, announced the end of his candidacy citing that he overestimated his fundraising capability but looks forward to continuing to advance his conservative viewpoint.
“I have learned that I overestimated my fundraising capability. Thank you very much to all my supporters and contributors. Lisa and I have learned a lot as we traveled around and met the good people of the 9th District. We look forward to continue to advance our conservative beliefs,” Wilczynski said.
Wilczynski was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio, and has lived in the Toledo area for his entire life. He served as the Mayor of Walbridge for 10 years after serving as a Walbridge, Ohio Council Member for three years prior. His career experience includes working as an engineer for eight years with the Toledo Energy Company at Davis-Besse Nuclear Power Station and as an entrepreneur.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME) and later a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Toledo. Wilczynski has been affiliated with Americans for Prosperity, the V Foundation, and St. Jerome’s Catholic Church.
The former mayor noted that he ran for Congress for one reason to retire Congresswoman Kaptur and flip Ohio’s 9th Congressional District to Republican.
“I got into this race for one reason, to retire Marcy Kaptur,” Wilczynski said.
Wilczynski is the second Republican candidate to recently end their Congressional run against Kaptur. In May, Ohio Republican JR Majewski also dropped out of the race just over a month after announcing his candidacy citing he needed to focus on his family due to health concerns.
With Wilczynski ending his Congressional run there are only two other Republican challengers currently in the race to unseat Kaptur, Steve Lankenau, a former mayor of Napoleon, and Craig Riedel, a former three-term state representative from Defiance.
According to Wilczynski, he will support whichever candidate receives the Republican nomination.
“I look forward to supporting the Republican nominee,” Wilczynski said.
Wilczynski noted that regardless of the end of his 2024 campaign, it’s time to flip Ohio District 09, which covers all of Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky counties among others bordering these areas, Republican.
Reports state that Kaptur has already filed the paperwork necessary for candidacy in the November 2024 race for Congressional District 9.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Dan Wilczynski” by Dan Wilczynski.
