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0000017a-3b40-d913-abfe-bf44a4f90000Howard Wilkinson joined the WVXU news team as the politics reporter and columnist in April 2012 , after 30 years of covering local, state and national politics for The Cincinnati Enquirer. On this page, you will find his weekly column, Politically Speaking; the Monday morning political chats with News Director Maryanne Zeleznik and other news coverage by Wilkinson. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Wilkinson has covered every Ohio gubernatorial race since 1974, as well as 16 presidential nominating conventions. Along with politics, Wilkinson also covered the 2001 Cincinnati race riots, the Lucasville prison riot in 1993, the Air Canada plane crash at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in 1983, and the 1997 Ohio River flooding. And, given his passion for baseball, you might even find some stories about the Cincinnati Reds here from time to time.

Jeb Bush headed to Cincy in June for high-dollar GOP fundraiser

FEMA

One potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, Sen. Rand Paul, was in Cincinnati Friday night; and another is coming in June - former Florida governor Jeb Bush, for a private fundraising event at the Queen City Club.

According to the invitation obtained by WVXU, Bush will be here for high-priced fundraiser for the Republican National Committee (RNC). RNC chairman Reince Priebus will also be on hand.

Prices for the event range from $1,000 per person for a ticket to the Queen City Club reception to $64,800 for couples who agree to be chairs of the event. The federal campaign contribution limit for individuals is $32,400.  Co-chairs will pay $32,400 and will get two tickets to the dinner, a roundtable discussion with Bush and Priebus and and a photo opportunity.

The former Florida governor - brother of one president, George W. Bush, and son of another, George H.W. Bush - is being urged by many in the GOP to run for president in 2016. He has yet to commit.

Among the co-chairs listed on the invitation are John Barrett, CEO of Western & Southern, Reds' principal owner Bob Castellini, Cintas founder and chairman Richard Farmer, his son, Cintas CEO Scott Farmer, and  Craig and Carl Linder III.

Credit FEMA
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush

Howard Wilkinson is in his 50th year of covering politics on the local, state and national levels.