Second District Congressman Dr. Brad Wenstrup announced last week that he was leaving the House of Representatives in 2024 when his current term ends.

This is sad news for residents of Ohio’s Second District, but I am certain it is joyful news to Congressman Wenstrup’s wife, Monica, and their two children. In fact, during a telephone call today, the congressman said he made the announcement to coincide with his son Brad Jr.’s birthday.

“I work in a place where a lot of people want to be somebody, but a surgeon mentor of mine once said, ‘You don’t have to be somebody somewhere else as long as you’re somebody at home,’” Rep. Wenstrup said this week. “Sadly, all too often, the frantic pace of Washington has kept me away from our home. I’m ready to change that.”

Rep. Wenstrup has served in Congress since 2013 and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and chairs the Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic.

Col. Wenstrup (ret.) previously served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1998-2022 and spent time in Iraq as a combat surgeon in the mid-2000s.

Rep. Wenstrup was elected in November 2012 to represent the people of Ohio’s Second Congressional District, which includes Highland and Adams counties as well as Clermont, Clinton, Pike, Brown, Ross, Scioto, Pickaway, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia and Meigs counties and a portion of Fayette County.

I wrote my first political endorsement more than three decades ago. It was for former Congressman Bob McEwen. Unfortunately, Bob lost to Ted Strickland. In the ensuing years, I’ve written more endorsements for candidates and issues than I can recall. I’ve endorsed Republicans and Democrats (though I’ve never made a habit of the latter).

I’ve endorsed levies, including the levy which led to the new Hillsboro City Schools. The late Bob Hodson, who supported the levy, read that endorsement during a public forum on the levy that was held at Southern State Community College. That was more than a little surprising.

But through all the years, there is only one candidate that I endorsed three times in a single year. The year was 2012, and the candidate was Brad Wenstrup. I explained those endorsements (two in the 2012 GOP primary and one in the 2012 general election) in a column at: https://highlandcountypress.com/rory-ryan/well-stand-wenstrup-endorseme…

I first met Brad along with his former staff member Brian Shrive, who is now an attorney with the Clermont County Prosecutor’s Office, in 2012. I enjoyed speaking with both men.

In our first meeting, Dr. Wenstrup talked about the core values associated with leadership, saying, “The Army has an acronym for ‘leadership:’ Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage (LDRSHIP).”

He also said: “I’m not looking for a job or going from one election to the next. If I’m going to run, it’s going to be something where I can make a difference. We need to have higher expectations. We need to remember our Constitution begins with ‘We the people,” not ‘We the government.’”

After some background research on the good doctor from Hyde Park, I admired him even more.

My former attorney and dear friend, the late Tom Tepe, told me that Dr. Wenstrup was “the real deal.” That was good enough for me.

And Brad Wenstrup has been more than good enough for Ohio’s Second District. He’s always accessible. In his sprawling Second District, he makes time for residents in all areas, certainly in Highland County, where he has a Rocky Fork Lake-area home. (His sponsored legislation can be seen at https://wenstrup.house.gov/about/my-legislation-and-votes.htm)

In a seven-month period from June 2017-January 2018, Dr. Wenstrup helped to save multiple lives, including that of fellow Rep. Steve Scalise, who was targeted by a deranged lunatic (are there any other kind?) simply for being a Republican congressman. This was in June 2017.

On Jan. 31, 2018, an Amtrak passenger train carrying dozens of lawmakers to a Republican retreat in West Virginia struck a garbage truck south of Charlottesville, Va. Dr. Wenstrup found himself part of another emergency and jumped in to help. He and other lawmakers who also were doctors filed out of the train to check out the scene and rushed to the injured.

“I got to one of the exits as quickly as I could,” Dr. Wenstrup told The Cincinnati Enquirer. U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, a Tennessee Republican who also is a physician, was right behind him. The two split up and headed for two injured men on the ground.

Without Congressman Wenstrup, House members may need to look for another rescue warrior in times of medical emergencies.

When Dr. Wenstrup upset an incumbent Republican on March 6, 2012, one of the first newspapers he called was The Highland County Press. Brian Shrive told me our paper was the first to be called. This week, Congressman Wenstrup called again to thank the newspaper for our coverage and support through the years. I told him that was appreciated, but not necessary.

His service – both in the military and in Congress – will always be appreciated. He has more than earned the additional quality time he’ll have with his family.

We have a few thoughts on a possible successor, but that’s another column for another day.

All the best, Brad.

Rory Ryan us the owner/publisher of the Highland County Press and former publisher of The People’s Defender.