2006 Primary Election Results
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The Hannah Report Special Election Edition May 3, 2006 2006 Primary Election Results Party caucuses held a few surprises Tuesday. There were a number of anticipated blow-outs and several nail-biters, including a seven-way Democratic primary in the 10th House District that was still too close to call at end of business Wednesday. Results remain officially "unofficial" in all races and do not reflect provisional voting. Absentee ballots were also out in Cuyahoga County, where the election board was forced to count votes by hand in the 10th District and other races. A disclaimer at the secretary of state's website notes that results will be final 81 days after the date on which county boards of elections have all completed official canvases, which must be no later than May 23, 2006. Statewide Races U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio) easily overcame his opponent to win the Democratic caucus for governor by a factor of four. Bryan Flannery was unable to capitalize on allegations concerning a former Strickland staffer arrested for public indecency. On the Republican side, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell banked on a well-organized and financially generous grassroots effort to pass Attorney General Jim Petro for the gubernatorial nomination. In the attorney general campaign, Sen. Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland) acknowledged the inevitability of former attorney general Betty Montgomery's bid for another Republican nomination to her old job, conceding early Tuesday to the sitting auditor. Among Democrats, former Cleveland law director Subodh Chandra won numerous newspaper endorsements -- though not his party's -- for attorney general, which was instead claimed by leading workers' comp critic Sen. Marc Dann (D-Liberty Twp.) In what will likely be seen as the consensus upset of the 2006 primary, Ashtabula County Auditor Sandra O'Brien ran a successful race to the right of incumbent Treasurer Jennette Bradley, the former Taft lieutenant governor whom O'Brien panned for her pro-choice stance and her opposition to concealed carry. The winner likely drew on supporter turnout for Ken Blackwell's gubernatorial campaign. O'Brien bested Bradley by a respectable three-and-a-half points, setting up a November contest with Franklin County Treasurer Richard Cordray. In the Supreme Court of Ohio, first-term Justice Terrence O'Donnell will have to wait a few more months for a rematch with Judge William O'Neill of the 11th District Court of Appeals, who lost by a wide margin in 2004 and who since called for the recusal of O'Donnell and Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger from State ex. rel. Dann v. Taft in a disciplinary complaint to the Supreme Court of Ohio. Both O'Donnell and O'Neill entered the primary with a "recommended" rating from the Ohio State Bar Association, while several other Supreme Court candidates came "highly recommended." In the race for departing Justice Alice Robie Resnick's seat, Columbus attorney Ben Espy turned a lengthy Democratic political career and widespread name recognition as former Senate minority leader to his advantage, wresting the nomination from Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judge Peter Sikora. Espy will now face former state senator, Judge Robert Cupp of the 3rd District Court of Appeals. Sitting U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) and Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) posted similar numbers in their respective primaries for the upper chamber, each claiming roughly three fourths of the vote to set up the November election. DeWine was able to overcome criticism within his own party over a reputation for straying from conservative causes. Ohio House In the Ohio House, attorney Armond Budish trounced his closest rival, high school teacher Thaddeus Jackson, by a two-to-one margin, claiming the rights to an uncontested race for the 8th District seat of Rep. Lance Mason (D-Shaker Hts.), now looking to replace term-limited Sen. Eric Fingerhut (D-Cleveland). In the 9th District, former Rep. Barbara Boyd overwhelmed Julian Rogers, onetime assistant to former Cleveland schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett, by a factor of two in the Democratic primary. Boyd will face Cleveland Heights City Council member Jimmie Hicks Jr. this fall. The candidacy of term-limited Rep. Shirley Smith (D-Cleveland) to outgoing Senate Minority Leader C.J. Prentiss's (D-Cleveland) seat set up a free-for-all in the 10th District between seven Democrats. The spirited political season got a boost when a missing endorsement from the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party left the race wide open. At close of business Wednesday, Eugene Miller, Bill Newsome, Nelson Cintron, and Freddie Moore were each within several dozen votes of their closest rival, a group separated from top to bottom by no more than 100 ballots. The winner will face Republican Rosalind McAllister in the fall election. Sandra Williams, former aide to the outgoing Rep. Annie Key (D-Cleveland), edged Cuyahoga County Assistant Prosecutor T.J. Dow in a primary involving six Democrats. Former Cleveland Board of Education member Stephen D. Sullivan posted respectable numbers in the number three slot. Williams' victory sets up an uncontested race for the 11th District. In the 13th House District, incumbent Rep. Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood) easily defeated homemaker Ben Perry by a four-to-one margin, setting up a fall election with John Hildrebrand. With the move of Dale Miller from the House to the Senate, House Democrats decided to wait until after the primary to choose Miller's replacement in the 14th District. That is no longer a question. Bill Ritter, a Cleveland school teacher, will be taking up the post. His race became controversial during the last throes of the campaign when he distributed literature some Democrats saw as "gay bashing." The fallout cost Ritter an endorsement from the UAW Cuyahoga-Medina CAP Council. The Cleveland Teachers Union and its affiliate, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, publicly expressed their dismay over his remarks. Executive Director Mike Foley of the Cleveland Tenants Organization trailed Ritter in second place, while former Rep. Erin Sullivan Lally placed a distant third. In the 18th House District, Ron Mottl, a former congressman and state representative, was unable to make a comeback. Mottl faced John Celebrezze -- a popular surname in Cleveland politics -- in the primary. Celebrezze will be running against Republican incumbent Tom Patton in November. Speaking of familiar names, Ted Celeste, brother of former Gov. Dick Celeste and a former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate who ran unsuccessfully against George Voinovich, will be trying to unseat Republican incumbent Geoff Smith of Upper Arlington in November. Celeste won the four-way Democratic primary in the 24th House District with 66.52 percent of the vote. Democrats are counting on Celeste to take this district, as John Kerry did surprisingly well in what has always been considered a Republican stronghold. The 26th House District has proven to be a hard one to retain for more than one term. Rep. Mike Mitchell, who upset Democratic incumbent Larry Price during the 2004 primary, was himself upset by Tracy Heard. Heard is a well-known name in Franklin County, with her mother-in-law having served on the Columbus Board of Education for many years. Dale Mallory is hoping he will be able to hold the seat in the 32nd House District once held by his father, former House Minority Leader William Mallory, and his brother, the former representative and senator who is currently the Cincinnati mayor. Dale Mallory had a tight race with Eve Bolton, the former county recorder who also ran a losing campaign for Cincinnati City Council last year. Mallory won with 44.64 percent of the vote to Bolton's 41.31 percent. Former Ohio State University and Cleveland Browns football linebacker Tom Cousineau, with over 68 percent of the vote, won his Republican primary against Twinsburg City Councilman Stephen Murphy in the 41st House District. The Republicans hope they can regain the seat from one-termer Brian Williams, who narrowly defeated Marilyn Slaby two years ago. Former Rep. Vernon Sykes handily won his Democratic primary in the 44th House District with 77.54 percent of the vote. He is hoping to keep the seat in the family by replacing his wife, Barbara Sykes, who has decided to run for state auditor. Mrs. Sykes had replaced Mr. Sykes when he was term-limited. Six candidates vied for the Democratic nomination to replace term-limited Rep. Sylvester D. Patton Jr. (D-Youngstown) in the 60th House District. Veteran legislator Sen. Robert F. Hagan, also term-limited, won the race with 37.70 percent of the vote. His closest opponent was Daniel Yemma, who owns Capital Financial Solutions Inc. and is a Struthers city council member. No Republican filed in the 60th House District, which includes Youngstown, Campbell, Struthers, Lowellville, Coitsville, and nine eastern Austintown precincts. It appears there will be a recount in the Republican primary for the 61st House District. Brant Luther received 3,952 votes, while Randy Pope received 3,942. Luther was an Alliance City Council member from 1999 to 2003. He was appointed Stark County auditor in 2004 and lost the election in 2005. Pope, who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. John Boccieri in the last two elections, was an Alliance councilman in 2004 and 2005. He lost races for Alliance treasurer in 2001 and Alliance City Council in 2005. Because incumbent Rep. John Boccieri (D-New Middletown) is running for the Ohio Senate to replace term-limited Sen. Bob Hagan, whoever wins the recount will face Canton attorney Mike Okey in the general election. For those who remember House Republican Minority Leader Corwin Nixon during the Riffe years, his grandson, Corwin Keith Nixon, has lost a tight race in the 67th House District.