U.S. Sen. Jon Husted’s campaign publicly promoted an endorsement from state Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) on Thursday — a lawmaker who was accused of sexual abuse of a minor relative and whose own conduct was described as “concerning” by the prosecutor who reviewed the case.

The Husted for Senate campaign posted an endorsement graphic on X on March 19 listing Creech among dozens of Ohio House Republicans backing Husted’s 2026 Senate bid. The campaign reposted the graphic several hours later.

Creech represents Ohio House District 40, which includes portions of northern Montgomery and Butler counties and all of Preble County. He is currently serving his third term.

In 2023, a minor relative accused Creech of climbing into bed and under the covers with her while erect, wearing only his underwear, according to Bureau of Criminal Investigation documents reported by the Statehouse News Bureau.

Creech told investigators he had gotten into bed with the minor while wearing only his underwear but denied the sexual nature of the allegations, including that he touched the minor more than once, according to the same BCI documents.

The Clark County Prosecutor’s Office declined in October 2024 to pursue charges. In a letter to BCI, Prosecutor Daniel Driscoll wrote that he believed Creech’s “behavior during the time of the investigation was concerning,” but that he was closing the case.

In May 2025, Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) stripped Creech of all four committee assignments — including his chairmanship of the House Agriculture Committee — and asked him to resign, telling the Dayton Daily News he did not believe Creech “could fill out his duties effectively as a legislator.”

Creech did not resign. In February 2026, Huffman reinstated him to his committees, telling the Statehouse News Bureau that no authorities had taken action against Creech. On Feb. 20, the Ohio Republican Party officially endorsed Creech for re-election.

Creech has called the allegations “demonstrably false” and politically motivated. In a statement following his reinstatement, he said he is “stronger, wiser and more committed than ever.”

Husted, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate in January 2025 by Gov. Mike DeWine to fill the seat vacated by Vice President JD Vance, is running in the November 2026 special election to retain the seat. He faces former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in what is expected to be one of the most competitive Senate races in the country.

Tony Wen, a spokesperson for the Ohio Democratic Party, released the following statement: “After taking $116,000 from an Epstein co-conspirator and voting against the release of the Epstein files, Jon Husted is now proudly touting the endorsement of a lawmaker accused of sexual abuse of a minor. It’s a disgusting pattern, and Ohioans deserve to know why Husted keeps surrounding himself with some of the most disturbing figures in Ohio politics.”

Also listed on the Husted campaign’s endorsement graphic: Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Butler Township), who told BCI investigators that comments Creech made about the allegations were “disgusting and uncalled for,” according to records reported by the Dayton Daily News; and Huffman himself, who had previously asked Creech to resign.

TiffinOhio.net has reached out to the Husted campaign for comment on whether it was aware of the allegations against Creech when it published the endorsement graphic. No response was received prior to publication.