S2 Ep25: That’s So Cincinnati: Dennard’s possible replacement; all you need to know about Issue 7

Democrats could have an open seat on Cincinnati City Council soon, with the possibility of Tamaya Dennard either resigning or being removed from office amid legal troubles.

Who could be in line to fill the seat? 

Cincinnati.com City Hall reporter Sharon Coolidge and political columnist Jason Williams broke down potential candidates on their That's So Cincinnati podcast this week. Here are some of the potential candidates they talked about:

Ryan DuPree: She's executive director of Walnut Hills-based Christ Emmanuel Christian Fellowship, where her parents – Bishop Michael Dantley and Pastor Carol Dantley – have led the congregation for decades. Bishop Dantley has been a supporter of Mayor John Cranley, who once attempted to hire Dupree to work on the mayor's staff. Dupree has never run for public office before, but she is widely liked by establishment and progressive Democrats. She sits on the board of the Community Action Agency, and her work and relationships have helped her gain a strong understanding of city issues. Dupree would bring a fresh perspective to City Hall, and there's a good chance she'd be the front-runner for the seat. 

Lesley Jones: The Mount Airy pastor is one of the city's leaders fighting for racial healing. Jones was an endorsed Democrat in the 2017 council race, her first attempt at political office. She finished 12th in a field race where the top nine win a seat. 

Alicia Reece: The one-time Cincinnati vice mayor and state lawmaker is currently running for Todd Portune's former seat on the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners. That blockbuster local primary between the Roselanwn resident and former state lawmaker Connie Pillich is a toss-up, and Reece's strong base of city Democratic support could lift her to victory. But if she loses, Reece will likely have party leaders pushing for her to get the seat. 

Sedrick Denson: The former City Hall aide to Councilman Wendell Young, Denson is in his first term as a state representative. He lives in Springfield Township, so he would have to move back into the city. 

Ozie Davis: The popular Avondale resident is well known in city politics. He recently sat on the Cincinnati Public Schools board, but lost his bid to keep the seat as a write-in candidate last fall. Davis was an endorsed Democrat for council in 2017, when he finished 11th in his first political race.

Also on this week's episode: SORTA board member and Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber executive Brendon Cull talks in-depth about the Issue 7 transportation levy that'll be on the March ballot in Hamilton County.