Here are a few of the top headlines from an exciting night in Ohio politics.
Gov. Kasich Wins Ohio
Ohio Gov. John Kasich is victorious in his home state of Ohio. Kasich’s victory in our winner- take-all primary stands to reshape the 2016 GOP presidential campaign. Marco Rubio’s loss and subsequent suspension of his campaign makes Kasich one of three remaining candidates for our nation’s highest office. The campaigns head west next Tuesday with primaries and caucuses in Arizona, Utah, and Idaho.
OCCPAC Endorsed Candidates Fair Well, One Incumbent Goes Down
The Ohio Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee (OCCPAC) endorsed 13 candidates for the General Assembly and all but two were victorious on Tuesday night. Incumbent Rep. Tony Burkley came up short, losing to Craig Riedel 53.09 46.91%. Additionally, OCCPAC endorsed Middletown City Councilman Joe Mulligan was defeated by conservative activist Candice Keller by a margin of 59.09-40.98% in an open seat for the 53rd House District.
Pat Fischer wins GOP primary for Ohio Supreme Court
Pat Fischer, a judge on the Ohio Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, defeated Colleen O’Toole by a margin 54-46% for the Republican nomination to the Ohio Supreme Court. The seat is being vacated by retiring Justice Judith Lanzinger. Judge Fischer will go on to face Democrat John O’Donnell in the general election.
No surprises in U.S Senate and House races
Businessman Warren Davidson won the GOP mega-primary to replace former Speaker John Boehner in the 8th Congressional District. The special election will take place June 7th. No surprises in former Gov. Strickland’s primary for U.S. Senate. He defeated Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld and Kelli Prather with 65.05% of the vote. Strickland’s victory sets up what is likely to be one of the most competitive general elections in the U.S. Senate with incumbent Sen. Rob Portman (also victorious in his primary). In a 2014 rematch, Congressman Dave Joyce defeated Matt Lynch 64.45-35.55%.
The following is a breakdown of each contested primary for the General Assembly, beginning with the House and moving to the Senate.
Race-by-Race: Ohio House
House District 1 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed Wayne County Commissioner Scott Wiggam has been the odds on favorite to replace outgoing Rep. Ron Amstutz since the beginning. He defeated former Commissioner David Kiefer 67.55-32.45 %
House District 7 (Republican) Cleveland political institution Sen. Tom Patton dispatched newcomer Jennifer Herold 79.2-20.8% in his bid to return to the Ohio House.
House District 9 (Democrat) Incumbent Rep. Janine Boyd routed Isaac Powell by a margin of 87.4-12.6 % for a second term in Columbus.
House District 12 (Democrat) OCCPAC endorsed Rep. John Barnes defeated Pepper Pike Councilwoman Jill Miller-Zimon. He won 64.5-35.5%. Barnes faced Miller-Zimon in a three-way primary during the 2014 cycle.
House District 17 (Democrat) Attorney Adam Miller was victorious in his race against Matt Jolson. He won 58.42-41.58% in the seat held by retiring Rep. Mike Curtin.
House District 18 (Democrat) Rep. Kristin Boggs was victorious in a three-way primary, taking 68.56% of the vote. Rep. Boggs replaced state Rep. Mike Stinziano who won a seat on Columbus City Council last November.
House District 20 (Republican) Lisa Schacht defeated Bobby Mitchell 63.36-36.64%. She faces incumbent Democrat state Rep. Heather Bischoff in the general election.
House District 25 (Democrat) Bernadine Kennedy Kent won a four-way primary to replace outgoing Rep. Kevin Boyce. Rep. Boyce chose to forgo another term in the legislature to run against Franklin County Commissioner Paula Brooks. Boyce was successful in his race.
House District 27 (Republican) Incumbent Rep. Tom Brinkman played the spoiler as the only candidate to defeat an OCCPAC endorsed candidate in 2014. This year he faced a primary of his own from anti-common core activist Heidi Huber. Brinkman won 55.37-44.63%
House District 28 (Democrat) Regina Collins faced write in candidate Bernadine Kent. The results for this race will be delayed. The winner goes on to face Republican Rep. Jonathan Dever in the general election.
House District 31 (Democrat) Union organizer Brigid Kelly was the frontrunner throughout this race. She won in a crowded five-way primary (35.3%) to replace Denise Driehaus who is running for Hamilton County Commissioner.
House District 32 Catherine Ingraham defeated Shawn Butler and Leo D’Cruz with 49.92 percent of the vote. The seat is currently held by Democrat Rep. Christie Kuhns-Bryant who is vacated the seat.
House District 40 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed Rep. Mike Henne won 72.89-27.11% against Thomas McMasters. McMasters is the teenage son of the Huber Heights mayor of the same name.
House District 47 (Republican) Former Waterville Mayor Derek Merrin won a three-way primary for term limited Rep. Barbara Sears’ seat with 44.28% of the vote.
House District 49 (Democrat) Familiar candidate Joyce Healy-Abrams lost to Canton City Councilman Thomas West by a narrow margin of 50.53-49.47% (115 votes) for term-limited Rep. Stephen Slesnick’s seat. Healy-Abrams was defeated by Congressman Bob Gibbs during 2012 election cycle.
House District 51 (Republican) Rep. Wes Retherford retained his seat in the race deemed Ohio’s “nastiest” primary against challenger Courtney Combs 56.02-43.98%.
House District 53 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed Middletown City Councilman Joe Mulligan was defeated by conservative activist Candice Keller by a margin of 59.09-40.98%. The seat is currently held by term limited Rep. Tim Derickson who lost his bid for the Republican nomination for Ohio’s 8th Congressional District.
House District 57 (Republican) Small businessman Dick Stein won a four-way primary for term-limited Rep. Terry Boose’s seat with 34.7%.Stein goes on to face former County Sheriff Tom Dunlap in November.
House District 59 (Republican) Don Manning defeated Jim Murphy 52.19-47.81%. He will face incumbent Rep. John Boccieri in the general election.
House District 62 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed businessman Scott Lipps won a three-way primary for term-limited Rep. Ron Maag’s seat. Lipps defeated Warren County GOP chairman Ray Warrick and Steve Muterspaw. He took 40.59% (defeating Muterspaw by 379) of the vote in the always unpredictable Warren County.
House District 63 (Democrat) McDonald Mayor Glenn Holmes won the three-way primary for Rep. Sean O’Brien’s seat with 44.06% of the vote.
House District 64 (Republican) Farmington Trustee Martha Yoder defeated Richard Hlaudy 64.24-34.76%. She faces incumbent Rep. Michael O’Brien in November.
House District 68 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed candidate Genoa Twp. Trustee Rick Carfagna won a close race in a five-way primary for term-limited Rep. Margaret Ann Ruhl’s seat with 42.59% of the vote.
House District 69 (Republican) Rep. Steve Hambley defeated Chris Sawicki 68.23-31.77% in a rematch of their 2014 contest.
House District 70 (Republican) Darrell Kick won a three-way primary for term-limited Rep. Dave Hall’s seat. Kick works in the district office of Congressman Bob Gibbs. Kick took 32.44% with his opponents Steve Johnson and Lisa Woods both less than two points behind. An independent candidate, Luke Brewer has filed petitions to run for the seat.
House District 72 (Republican) Former Speaker of the Ohio House Larry Householder is coming back to Columbus. He defeated Coschocton Councilman Cliff Biggers 63.93-36.07%.
House District 74 (Republican) The race to replace Sen. Bob Hackett got heated in the weeks leading up to the primary. Bill Dean came out on top in a four-way primary for the seat with 38.93% of the vote.
House District 82 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed Rep. Tony Burkley was the only incumbent candidate to lose tonight. His opponent Craig Riedel defeated Burkley 53.09- 46.91%.Riedel crushed Burkley in the money race, ultimately winning the day for his campaign.
House District 83 (Republican) Incumbent Rep. Robert Sprague defeated Kevin Rettig 71.8- 28.2%.
House District 87 (Republican) Another competitive three-way primary. Political consultant Wes Goodman came out on top. He defeated former State Rep. Steve Reinhard and Morrow County Commissioner Tom Whiston.
House District 94 (Democrat) Sarah Grace defeated Eddie Smith 59.75-40.25% in the Democrat primary to replace term-limited Rep. Debbie Phillips.
House District 96 (Democrat) Incumbent Rep. Jack Cera easily defeated opponent Patrick Murphy 77.76-22.24%.
Race-by-Race: Ohio Senate
Senate District 4 (Republican) Incumbent OCCPAC endorsed Sen. Bill Coley easily survived a four-way primary in Butler County, taking 55.37% of the vote.
Senate District 6 (Republican) Incumbent OCCAC endorsed Sen. Peggy Lehner defeated tea party activist Barbara Temple 71.82-28.18%.
Senate District 10 (Republican) Incumbent OCCPAC endorsed Sen. Bob Hackett easily won his primary against political newcomer Brian Walton 57.79-42.21%
Senate District 12 (Republican) Former state Rep. Matt Huffman defeated his colleague Former state Rep. John Adams by a wide margin of 63.64-36.36%.
Senate District 16 (Republican) OCCPAC endorsed Rep. Stephanie Kunze defeated Aaron Neumann 78.76-21.24% . She looks to replace Sen. Jim Hughes in November.
Senate District 22 (Republican) Incumbent OCCPAC endorsed Sen. Larry Obhof defeated conservative activist Janet Porter 65.10-34.90%. Porter came up short in an aggressive negative campaign she mounted against Sen. Obhof.
Senate District 24 (Republican) Former state Rep. Matt Dolan won the most competitive open seat
primary of the evening. He dispatched state Reps. Nan Baker and Mike Dovilla with42.89% of the vote. Dolan goes on to face Emily Hagan in what is shaping up to be a competitive general election.
Senate District 32 (Democrat) Rep. Sean O’Brien defeated attorney Kristen Rock by a margin of 61.59-38.41%. O’Brien looks to replace term-limited Sen. Capri Cafaro.