Opponent set for Jim Jordan, other Congressional races

Two political novices will face opponents with high name recognition in Greater Columbus races for Congress. And other candidates now know who they'll square off against in November.

With about 98% of precincts reporting, Democrat Tamie Wilson, a Delaware entrepreneur, was declared the winner just before midnight with a four percentage point lead, 52%-48% over Jeffrey Sites, a warehouse supervisor for a large food manufacturer from Lima. Wilson will face Rep. Jim Jordan in the 4th Congressional District, which now includes Delaware County and counties northeast and northwest of Franklin County.

The eight-term Urbana Republican who ran uncontested was a key player in the effort to to aid then-white House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to help keep former President Donald Trump in office despite his loss at the polls.

In the 12th District, which includes parts of Delaware, Licking, Fairfield and counties west of Franklin, first-term GOP incumbent Troy Balderson of Zanesville will face Amy Rippel Elton, a Democrat from Newark, who has a 13 point margin over her Democratic rival Michael Fletcher, of Athens, who works in real estate, with 98% of the vote counted.

Rippel Elton has no campaign website and a Facebook page listing more than 55 personal interests including beading, open water swimming, foraging, animal rescue and sleeping.

Balderson easily defeated, with about 82% of the vote, fellow Republican Brandon Lape (18%) of Ashland, an information technology worker.

In the 3rd District, incumbent, fiveterm Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-columbus who ran uncontested, will face uncontested Republican challenger Lee Stahley, R-columbus, an optician and teacher at Ohio State University.

In the 15th District, comprised of most of unincorporated Franklin County, along with Madison and counties west of Franklin, first-term incumbent Mike Carey, R-columbus, will face Democrat Gary Josephson,of Columbus, a semi-retired, part-time preschool teacher and full-time student at Ohio State University. Both ran unopposed in their primaries.

And in the 2nd District, whose boundaries are Pickaway County and counties south to the Ohio River, incumbent Rep. Brad Wenstrup, with 78%, easily outpaced fellow Republicans James Condit Jr. (12.6%) and David Windisch (10%).

With about 98% of the vote counted, Samantha Meadows, a Democrat from southern Ohio and a former advanced emergency medical technician had a 44 point lead over Alan Darnowsky, a retired banking executive from Loveland. dnarciso@dispatch.com @Deannarciso