Updated - Opposition to Kevin DeWine becoming chairman of the Ohio Republican Party is growing in the wake of comments he made in a press conference last week.

DeWine caused an uproar among social conservatives when he said last Thursday the party needed to move away from a socially conservative message for an economically conservative message. Joining social conservatives angry at DeWine is Christopher Finney, a Cincinnati attorney and co-founder of the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes.

Finney sent an email to all members of the Republican state central committee late Thursday asking them to not elect DeWine as chairman.

“Kevin DeWine, who consistently voted for all of Bob Taft's foolish tax and spending policies (yes, 100% support for that nonsense), and who has done utterly nothing to advance a fiscally conservative agenda has now been quoted as indicating he wants to abandon the socially conservative agenda of the Party,” the email reads.

DeWine is currently deputy chairman and will run for election as chairman by the central committee in December following the retirement of long-time chairman Bob Bennett. Finney writes that DeWine would carry the torch for Bennett and Taft.  

“Mr. Taft and Mr. Bennett turned their backs on their own constituents. Mr. DeWine is following in their footsteps. Perhaps you have failed to see the disastrous path that has taken us on. As an elected leader of the Ohio GOP you have a duty to act,” the email ends.

Finney told PolitickerOH.com that about six central committee members have replied to him, saying they want to get rid of DeWine. Finney said he would like to see Hamilton county central committee woman Christa Criddle as chairwoman.

“Christa Criddle would be my choice,” Finney said, adding Rob Portman, John Kasich, Hamilton Co. GOP chair Alex Triantafilou and state Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati) as solid candidates.

Criddle said she isn’t throwing her hat into the ring but liked the idea of Portman, Triantafilou or Brinkman as candidates.

“I’m going to keep an open mind about it and see who does step up,” she said.

Triantafilou dissented from DeWine’s comments about changing the message in an interview with PolitickerOH.com this week.

“I would not say what Kevin said, frankly. I would say the social conservative movement is part of the bedrock of what we stand for as a party. That does not mean we cannot extend out beyond that and try reach into areas and groups that can help expand our party,” he said.

As for Criddle, she isn’t opposed outright to DeWine as chairman, especially if he mends fences.

“I’m not to the point where he shouldn’t run at all, but I think he needs to do some things to repair the relationship with the social conservative base,” she said.

Conservative activist Lori Viars sent an email to people on Thursday asking them to call GOP county chairmen and "leave [a] brief message with your opinion on Kevin DeWine's remarks" and email members of the party's state central committee.