After the Ohio Democratic Party searched for months for a state treasurer candidate, Seth Walsh, a Cincinnati councilman, said he will run for the seat.

“As state treasurer, I’ll bring real transparency to how Ohio manages its money because your family deserves to see where every dollar goes and why,” Walsh said.

Walsh has served on Cincinnati City Council since his December 2022 appointment to succeed Greg Landsman, who left after being elected to Congress. Walsh was elected in 2023 and reelected in November. Walsh finished sixth out of 27 candidates for nine seats on Cincinnati council in the most-recent election. Walsh’s new term began Jan. 1.

If he’s elected state treasurer, Walsh said he would “protect public pensions while making smart investments and partnerships that strengthen our farms, our neighborhoods and the long-term stability of our state.”

Ohio Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathleen Clyde said Walsh is “a fighter for working people and a staunch watchdog over public funds as a member of Cincinnati City Council, and he’ll bring that same resolve to Columbus as our next state treasurer.”

A Democrat hasn’t won a statewide executive branch position since 2008.

Democrats have struggled to fill the lower part of its statewide ticket. The party hadn’t announced a secretary of state candidate as of Thursday though Maple Heights Mayor Annette Blackwell is expected to run for that seat.

Feb. 4 is the filing deadline for candidates running in the May 5 primary for the Republican and Democratic nominees.

Three Republicans have declared for state treasurer: state Sen. Kristina D. Roegner of Hudson; Niraj Antani of Miamisburg, a former state representative and state senator; and Jay Edwards of Nelsonville, a former representative.

State Treasurer Robert T. Sprague cannot seek reelection because of the state’s term-limits law. He is running for secretary of state.