The winner will face Democrat Mike Miller in November.
Reynolds has not responded to repeated attempts by the Journal-News to respond to why he did not file petitions. His campaign finance report, which was filed with the BOE Jan. 30, shows he raised $33,951 from 49 donors at a fundraiser on Nov. 19. His total cash available is $128,247 — including funds from previous campaigns — and expenditures total $3,414.
Carpenter’s finance report shows she has $1,350 and has not spent anything. Ryan’s war chest contains $41,357 and he has spent $3,394.
BOE Director Nicole Unzicker told the Journal-News Reynolds does not have to return the campaign contributions.
“There does not appear to be a specific requirement to refund any contributions,“ she said. ”All candidates are expected to follow campaign finance rules, and contributions may only be used for campaign-related expenses as outlined in the campaign finance handbook."
Reynolds and Ryan both sought the Butler County Republican Party endorsement last month. The GOP Central Committee voted 118 to 42 or 71% in favor of Ryan over Reynolds with six members voting for no endorsement. Carpenter didn’t seek the endorsement.
Butler County GOP Executive Chairman Todd Hall told the Journal-News at the time the committee generally takes two votes in a contested race, and to win the endorsement the candidate must receive 60% of the votes. It took one vote, and Hall said for Ryan to garner 71% was “absolutely massive, I think everybody’s jaw dropped after the voting.”
“The party spoke in huge, mass numbers in my opinion, percentage-wise with overwhelming huge support for Michael Ryan as county commissioner,” Hall told the Journal-News. “There was definitely something historic that day and the historic was that he put up 71% in the first round of voting. In Butler County on a contested race 71% right out the gate, that shows you that the Butler County Republican Party was ready to support, get behind Michael Ryan and get him into the next spot of commissioner.”
The race started even before the May 5 primary ballot was set, with Ryan accusing both Carpenter and Reynolds of “abusing their office, intimidating private citizens, and using their positions to benefit themselves.”
He issued a news release in early December calling for Carpenter’s resignation following an investigation of alleged misconduct after a dispute with employees at her granddaughter’s apartment complex in Oxford. Carpenter could be seen on video giving an obscene gesture in the lobby of the building and the employees accused her of “blatantly racist, hostile and threatening” behavior.
After an investigation, the county prosecutor ultimately found no legal wrong-doing by Carpenter.
Ryan also raised Reynolds’ legal troubles that prompted his departure from elected office in the release. Reynolds’ attorney issued a “cease and desist” notice warning a lawsuit could be filed if Ryan continues to make “false and defamatory” statements. Nothing has been filed in court to-date.
Prompted by a civil lawsuit filed by Gerald Parks in September 2021, Reynolds, then the county auditor, was indicted in February 2022 on five counts for bribery and leveraging his public office to further his own interests on charges related to trying to help his family develop land in Liberty and West Chester townships.
A third felony was added that July for him allegedly asking Lakota Schools officials to use $750,000 of the unspent fees he routinely returned to taxing bodies each year for a golf academy at Four Bridges Golf Course, where his family lived.
In December 2022, a jury found no fault on the development claims, but Reynolds was found guilty on the Lakota charge.
By law, Reynolds could no longer serve as auditor with a felony on his record. He vacated the office after the guilty verdict. He appealed to the 12th District Court of Appeals, which overturned the guilty verdict. It then went to the Ohio Supreme Court, which did not change the appeals court decision.
Ryan told the Journal-News he looks forward to the two-person race with Carpenter.
“The people are ready for a change, we are ready to work hard and deliver results that are going to push our county forward, grow our county and prepare our county for a prosperous future,” Ryan said. “We’re looking to bring stability back to the commissioners’ office, cohesion, teamwork and unity and working with all of our local jurisdictions.”
Carpenter could not be reached for comment.
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