3 Republicans win races for area Ohio Senate seats, AP declares

The Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.

The Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.

Three Republicans won state senate races to represent area residents in the Statehouse for the next four years, according to the Associated Press.

In the race for the Ohio Senate District 10 seat, State Sen. Bob Hackett, R-London, the incumbent seeking re-election, won against Democratic challenger Charles “Charlie” Ballard

“I worked hard to do a good job. I appreciate the voters for putting me back in for this last term," Hackett told this news outlet. "I can’t thank the voters enough. They are tremendous.”

As for his opponent, Hackett said he is “a high quality individual and I appreciated sharing this race with him.”

Hackett said that he wanted to congratulate his opponent on running.

He said that he was pleased with the election results and wants to continue to bring his expertise to the office, adding that he brings with him a strong business background.

Ohio Senate District 10 stretches from Beavercreek to West Jefferson and includes the cities of Springfield and Xenia.

Hackett is chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and leads a subcommittee on Health Finance and Medicaid. He served in the Ohio House from 2009 to 2016 and as a Madison County commissioner from 2001 to 2008.

Ballard owns a small sign company in Greene County. He previously worked as a government contractor at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and before that served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force.

Ohio’s 12th Senate District

In the race for the Ohio’s 12th Senate District seat, incumbent Matt Huffman, a Republican, won against his challenger, political newcomer Democrat Ken Poling.

Poling, 28, is a carpenter. Huffman, 60, is an attorney who has held public office for a combined nearly 30 years. He’s been a member of city council and the Ohio House and Senate. Both men are Lima residents.

Ohio Senate District 12 includes Champaign, Allen, Mercer and Shelby and parts of Auglaize, Darke and Logan counties. Senators representing the district can serve up to two, four-year terms.

Ohio’s 4th Senate District

State Rep. George Lang won the race for the 4th Ohio Senate District seat over Democratic challenger Kathy Wyenandt and write-in candidate Kent Keller.

Wyenandt, of Liberty Twp., Lang, R-West Chester Twp., and Keller, a Republican from Middletown, competed for a four-year term starting in January representing the 4th Ohio Senate District, which incorporates most of Butler County and pays $63,007 a year, plus 52 cents per mile.

Lang, who beat Wyenandt for an Ohio House seat two years ago. will succeed Ohio Sen. Bill Coley, R-Liberty Twp., who is term-limited.

These results are expected to change as more ballots are counted through Nov. 18. We will continue to update these results as more ballots are counted.

Staff Writers Hasan Karim and Michael D. Pitman contributed to this report

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