Jim Renacci

In this June 2013 file photo, U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci, a Republican from Wadsworth, appears at a House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington.

(Charles Dharapak, The Associated Press)

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Jim Renacci wants another term in the U.S. House this fall, but someone already is assessing whether he would be a strong candidate for Ohio governor in 2018.

A pollster - armed with favorable facts about the Wadsworth Republican - recently dialed Buckeye State voters, according to two GOP sources who were surveyed by telephone.

The poll's questions were phrased in ways that emphasized Renacci's background as a businessman and volunteer firefighter while downplaying his six years in Congress, the sources said. Though the poll did not specify which higher office Renacci might be interested in, he was tested alongside Attorney General Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Jon Husted and Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor - three leading Republicans who are openly weighing gubernatorial bids.

The call characterized DeWine, Husted and Taylor as "Columbus insiders," the sources said.

Of this foursome, Renacci is the least known and the longest shot. The other three already are better organized for a 2018 run and would start with statewide name-recognition that Renacci lacks. And DeWine recently tapped Dave Luketic, a veteran of Gov. John Kasich's political operation, to lead his preparations. Term limits prevent Kasich from seeking re-election.

An internal poll commissioned by DeWine's team last fall found DeWine leading, with 45 percent of likely Republican voters, followed by Husted and Taylor, at 13 percent each. Renacci, whose ambitions have been murmured about for months, was far behind at 4 percent.

It's possible, some GOP observers speculate, that Renacci is interested in other statewide offices on the 2018 ballot, including U.S. Senate. State Treasurer Josh Mandel and U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, a close Kasich ally from Genoa Township, already are linked to the Senate race on the Republican side. Democratic incumbent Sherrod Brown is up for re-election that year.

Renacci did not respond to specific questions - including one about whether he commissioned the poll - submitted via email at the request of his re-election campaign manager.

"Congressman Renacci is fully committed to running for and serving a fourth term as the 16th District's voice in Congress, where he can continue his work to reduce regulations, reform the tax code and ensure that Washington enacts policies that will grow our economy and keep America safe," the campaign manager, Sean McCort, replied. "While it's true that many voters from across the state have encouraged Congressman Renacci to consider running for statewide office in the future, his focus remains fixed on his future service to the 16th District and helping Republicans up and down the ticket succeed at the ballot box in November."

The 16th District stretches across several of Cuyahoga County's western suburbs and runs south to Wooster. Renacci faces Democrat Keith Mundy of Parma in his re-election fight.

An accountant by trade, Renacci, 57, ranks among the wealthiest members of Congress. He has co-owned car dealerships, a nursing home and the Columbus Destroyers, a now-defunct Arena Football League team. He also is a former mayor of Wadsworth, a city of about 21,000 in Medina County. At least some of these tidbits were mentioned in the telephone poll, sources said, with questions designed to gauge whether they made Renacci more or less favorable.

Renacci won his House seat in 2010, ousting Democratic incumbent John Boccieri. He survived a 2012 re-election battle against Democratic Rep. Betty Sutton, whose turf was merged with Renacci's under a congressional redistricting, and won a third term easily in 2014.

He has emerged as a key Ohio surrogate for GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump.