The Republican primaries on Tuesday’s ballot included a landslide for governor, an easy win for a statewide officeholder seeking another statewide job, a multi candidate supreme court race and a contest for treasurer that were very close. Meanwhile, the two Democratic primaries ended with less dramatic results.
Treasurer Robert Sprague also scored an easy win for the nomination for secretary of state, beating Marcell Strbich by a 3-1 margin.
“This was never about the main primary," Sprague told reporters Tuesday night. "It really is about the November election. It's about keeping our elections secure. It's about the future of our republic and making sure that people can trust the election system in the state of Ohio.”
In the four-way race for Ohio Supreme Court, former Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Colleen O’Donnell pulled out a win with 32% of the vote.
The most competitive statewide contest of the night may have been for the GOP nomination for treasurer, with former Rep. Jay Edwards, who was endorsed by Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, barely getting by Sen. Kristina Roegner, who was backed by Ramaswamy.
On the Democratic side, Columbus attorney John Kulewicz easily defeated his opponent, former lawmaker Elliott Forhan, in the race for attorney general. Kulewicz said he thinks the office needs to focus more on consumer protection issues, and he wants to take the politics out of the AG’s office.
“The law is neither red or blue. It is black and white for the most part and just calling the shots independently," Kulewicz said in an interview. "It’s what I’ve done for over 40 years as a lawyer everyday.”
One of the races that many thought might be close wasn’t really in the end. Former Ohio House Minority Leader Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) beat Cincinnati cancer Dr. Bryan Hambley by nearly a two-to-one margin. Russo, who had been criticized for voting for a redrawn district map last year that many Democrats opposed, said she thinks the issue should be taken back to voters for a constitutional change.
“This time, they are going to have a secretary of state that will actually give these ballot initiatives a fair shot and will not put my thumb on the scale to confuse voters," Russo said in an interview.
Democratic former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown also had an opponent in this primary, but he won with nearly 90%. He’ll face Republican incumbent Jon Husted (R-OH), who’s running for the seat for the first time.
