The two contested Statehouse races were on the GOP’s side of the aisle.
Incumbent House members Reps. Thomas Hall, of Madison Twp., and Sara Carruthers, of Hamilton, are seeking re-election to Columbus, though they will represent significantly different areas of the county.
Hall ended Election Night with 55.9% of the vote while King finished with 44.1%, according to board of election’s unofficial vote totals.
Hall was nervous all night Tuesday as results rolled in, including when his lead was narrowed when a load of Liberty Twp. votes backed King.
At the end of the night, the first word Hall could think of was “relief.”
“This wasn’t an easy race. I got to thank my family, my friends for believing in me, and my team,” Hall said. “There were a lot of factors against us, but we had a lot of people behind us.”
Democrat Lawrence Mulligan, Jr., was uncontested in the Democratic primary.
Hall and Mulligan are now seeking voters’ approval on Nov. 8 to represent the newly drawn 46th House District, which will represent a significant portion of eastern Butler County, including Middletown, Madison Twp., and Liberty Twp.
Mulligan said “the fight is just beginning.”
“We must stand up for the rights of women, working families, children, minority and LGBTQ+ communities, gun violence victims, and many other groups that far-right interests hope to discriminate against in the upcoming legislative and judicial session,” he said.
Carruthers also faced a new political candidate in Cody Harper. With all 91 precincts reporting, the incumbent won 80.3% to 19.7%.
Carruthers said she’s “very humbled and honored” to be advancing to the general election for a chance to serve for a third term.
“My pledge is to keep working hard and earn the trust and vote of Butler County residents, regardless of party, over the next 97 days,” she said.
Democrat Sam Lawrence will face Carruthers in the Nov. 8 general election as he was uncontested in the Democratic primary.
The 19-year-old Miami University student says he’s running for office “to clean up Columbus.”
“Our Statehouse has been a haven for corruption and unethical tactics by the supermajority for years,” he said. “It’s time for better education funding, environmentally conscious policy, and a tax break for the middle class.”
Carruthers and Lawrence are seeking to represent the newly drawn 47th House District, which represents central and much of western Butler County, including Oxford, Hanover Twp., and Hamilton.
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