Foley won’t concede in 43rd House district race
No nail-biters in other local statehouse races as Republicans maintain their grip.
Republicans appeared to sweep all contested local statehouse races Tuesday, though Democrat Dan Foley says he won’t concede the Ohio 43rd House district race as long as there is a possibility that provisional and late-arriving ballots could change the results.
“We’ll be doing our due diligence checking on all provisional absentee ballots,” Foley said Wednesday afternoon. “We’re going to get through that process before we make any further announcement about the final outcome of the campaign.”
For a recount, the vote has to be within one-half of one percent of total votes cast. The total vote count won’t be known until 10 days from the election when all provisional and absentee ballots have been counted.
“We have about 5,400 provisional ballots and have not reported overlap numbers yet, but it is not on our radar for a recount,” Montgomery County Board of Elections Director Jan Kelly said Wednesday.
Foley ran against State Rep. J. Todd Smith, R-Jackson Twp., who had 50.5 percent of the votes in the district compared to Foley’s 49.5 percent, according to final, unofficial results from the Ohio secretary of state.
Smith said Wednesday it was a humbling experience to have the support of voters and said he is eager to not only work for those who voted for him, but to also win the confidence of those who voted for his opponent.
“It is a humbling thing to know, ‘Wow, the people had a real choice here and I was their choice,’” Smith said.
Foley served as Montgomery County Clerk of Courts from 2000-2006 and has been county commissioner since 2007. Smith has been a minister for 35 years and worked 10 years in construction of underground public utilities.
Smith was appointed to the House seat earlier this year when former state Rep. Jeff Rezabek, R-Clayton, was appointed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich to replace longtime Juvenile Court Judge Nick Kuntz, who died in May. The district, which includes part of Montgomery County and all of Preble County, is the most competitively balanced district in the region, split almost 50-50 between Democrats and Republicans.
Republicans cruised to easy wins in the other local statehouse races. Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer won in the 40th district, Jim Butler in the 41st, Niraj Antani in the 42nd, Paul Zeltwanger in the 54th, Scott Lipps in the 62nd, Rick Pereles in the 73rd, Paul Dean in the 74th, Kyle Koehler in the 79th and Jena Powell in the 80th.
Most are incumbents, but there will be some new faces in the statehouse as well.
The best known among the newcomers is Plummer, who grabbed 62 percent of the vote to 38 percent for Democrat Ryan Taylor. Plummer will replace term-limited state Rep. Mike Henne, R-Clayton, in a district that includes Huber Heights, Vandalia, Englewood and parts of Dayton, Riverside, Union and Butler and Clay townships.
Butler, R-Oakwood, won his re-election bid against Dayton school board vice president John McManus, with 55 percent of the vote compared to 45 percent for McManus.
“I cannot thank my wonderful campaign committee and volunteers enough for all of their hard work,” Butler said. “I am humbled by the support that I have received and very grateful for the opportunity to serve the citizens of the 41st House District for another term.”
Antani, R-Miamisburg, also won easily: 59.5 percent to 40.5 percent for his Democratic challenger, Zach Dickerson of Miamisburg.
“I’m truly honored to have been re-elected by my constituents to represent the community in which I was raised,” Antani said as his lead widened late Tuesday. “I have worked very every day to make the American dream achievable for all Ohioans and I will continue to stand strong on my prolife, pro-Second Amendment and pro-business principals at the statehouse.”
In Greene County, Perales, R-Beavercreek, had 60 percent compared to 40 percent for Sugarcreek Twp. Democrat Kim McCarthy. It’s been a challenging year for Pereles, who faced accusations from his challenger in the May primary, Jocelyn Smith of Fairborn, that he choked her and had a sexting relationship with her during a relationship they had in 2015.
Perales admitted sending inappropriate texts to her during what he characterized as a brief relationship, but denied choking Smith. She faces a third-degree felony count of extortion and a second-degree misdemeanor count of coercion after allegedly making threats to release negative information about Perales if he didn’t resign from office and leave the primary race. Her trial in Greene County Common Pleas court is set for Feb. 4.
“I’m glad its over,” Pereles said after Tuesday’s outcome became clear. “It’s time for us all to kind of put down our battles and do what we can for the state of Ohio.”
In Ohio’s 5th Senate district, state Rep. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, defeated Democrat Paul Bradley, 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent.
Powell, a newcomer from Arcanum, will replace Huffman in the 80th House district, which includes all of Miami County and southern Darke County. She defeated Democrat D.J. Byrnes of Piqua 75.6 percent to 24.4 percent.
In other races: ■ Zeltwanger, R-Mason, beat Democrat Nikki Foster of Mason, 61 percent to 39 percent;
■ Lipps, R-Franklin, beat Democrat Jim Staton of Springboro, 73.7 percent to 26.3 percent; and
■ Rep. Fred Strahorn, D-Dayton, was unopposed and re-elected in the Dayton-centric 39th District.