Staff report

AUSTINTOWN — Robert J. Santos of Austintown, who finished a distant third in last year’s Republican primary for the 13th Congressional District, announced he is running next year for the party’s nomination.

Santos is a Marine Corps veteran who served 11 years before medically retiring because of injuries sustained during his service. He was a military police officer and Marine recruiter who now works as a manager for a Youngstown company.

Santos received 11.43 percent of the vote in last year’s seven-person Republican primary for the seat. Christina Hagan won with 65.77 percent of the vote.

Because of congressional redistricting, which will occur later this year, the boundary lines of the district could be greatly altered or the district could be eliminated as Ohio is expected to lose one congressional seat.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, is expected to announce later this month that he isn’t seeking re-election to the House and will run for the open Senate seat next year.

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