Foley, other Republicans win series of Montgomery County races

Challenger Lynn Cooper and incumbent Mike Foley are vying for the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts seat. Photos provided.

Challenger Lynn Cooper and incumbent Mike Foley are vying for the Montgomery County Clerk of Courts seat. Photos provided.

Incumbent Republican Mike Foley has bested Democrat Lynn Cooper in the race for Montgomery County Clerk of Courts, according to final, unofficial results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

Republicans also appear to have picked up the county recorder seat and defended other county posts from Democrats.

In the race for clerk, Foley won 52.5% of the vote and Cooper won 47.5% of the vote.

Foley, who faces felony and misdemeanor charges related to campaign and other activity, was first elected to the clerk of courts office in 2018.

“I feel that my victory this year can be mostly attributed to what I’ve actually done in office the past six years,” Foley said. “The additional services we’ve added for the public, the money that we’ve given back to the county for additional needed programs and projects, and our continued presence in the community are items that come to mind.”

Foley expressed gratitude to his supporters, including his team at the clerk’s office, plus family and friends that helped him along the way.

“And I truly believe the public saw right through the politically motivated accusations that had been meant to tarnish my name and reputation just 90 days before this election,” he said.

In addition to being tasked with keeping court records and maintaining the auto title division, the clerk of courts is in charge of overseeing a staff of nearly 100 people and a budget of $15 million.

Montgomery County recorder

In the race for Montgomery County recorder, Republican Lori Kennedy earned 50.9% of the vote, beating Democrat Stacey Benson-Taylor, who earned 49.1% of the vote.

This is according to final, unofficial results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections. This does not include provisional, and late-arriving absentee ballots. Final results will be certified Nov. 26.

Benson-Taylor was hired as chief deputy recorder in September 2021. She was appointed to lead the county recorder’s office last year to fill a vacancy left by Brandon McClain, who is now serving as a judge in Dayton Municipal Court.

Kennedy, a realtor, mortgage loan officer and district manager, has spent more than 20 years in the real estate and mortgage industry negotiating and handling mortgage and real estate deals, and managing teams of mortgage lenders.

Montgomery County treasurer

In the race for Montgomery County treasurer, Republican incumbent John McManus won 57% of the vote, outpacing Democrat Mohamed Al-Hamdani, who has 43% of the vote, according to final, unofficial results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

McManus won the treasurer spot in 2020 after serving on the Dayton Public Schools Board of Education from 2016 to 2020. In 2018, McManus unsuccessfully ran for the Ohio House of Representatives as a Democrat before switching parties. In 2019, he was hired as chief of the clerk of courts legal division.

Al-Hamdani, a partner at Flanagan, Lieberman & Rambo law firm, formerly served as president of the Dayton City Schools Board of Education. He’s a member of the Fair Housing Center Board and chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party.

The two men served on the Dayton Board of Education together.

The county treasurer is responsible for collecting property taxes and managing the county’s investments, and sits on the Montgomery County land bank board. Treasurers do not set tax rates, taxable values or the amount of property taxes owed on individual parcels.

Montgomery County Common Pleas Court

In the race for an open seat in the General Division of the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court, Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Ellis, a Republican, earned 56.8% of the vote, outpacing Julia Mauk, a Democrat and public defender, who earned 43.2% of the vote.

The court is a trial court for civil and all felony criminal cases.

Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Ellis to the seat last year after it was vacated. Her experience ranges from working in the University of Dayton School of Law Legal Clinic and in Legal Aid before spending more than 20 years working as an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

Ellis also worked in the Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office as the civil division chief, chief appellate counsel and chief of the juvenile division.

About the Author