Montgomery County: Longtime commissioners roll in primary

Candidates for Montgomery County Commission. Top row from left: Tasha Rountree, Judy Dodge, Norman Scearce, Arlene Setzer. Bottom row from left: Greg West, Debbie Lieberman, Bob Matthews. SUBMITTED

Candidates for Montgomery County Commission. Top row from left: Tasha Rountree, Judy Dodge, Norman Scearce, Arlene Setzer. Bottom row from left: Greg West, Debbie Lieberman, Bob Matthews. SUBMITTED

Two longtime Montgomery County Commissioners — both Democrats — weathered primary challengers Tuesday. But each is assured a Republican opponent with political experience in November.

Montgomery County Commission President Judy Dodge of Vandalia, took 70% of the vote, topping primary challenger Tasha Rountree of Dayton, who finished with 30% of 34,122 votes counted.

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Dodge will face Arlene Setzer of Vandalia, who outdistanced Norman Scearce from Trotwood.

Setzer ended the night with 65% of 23,312 ballots counted. She is a former two-term state representative and served two terms as mayor of Vandalia from 2011 to 2019.

The four-year term for the seat held by Dodge begins Jan. 2, 2021.

MORE: County commissioners face Democratic challengers in primary

Unofficial results also show the other incumbent Democrat, Montgomery County Commissioner Debbie Lieberman, easily winning over primary challenger Greg West for a four-year commission term that begins Jan. 3, 2021.

Lieberman finished with 81% of 34,023 votes counted in the race.

Bob Matthews, a Republican from Miamisburg, did not have a primary opponent. Matthews, a former Miami Twp. trustee, will face Lieberman in November. Matthews ran unsuccessfully against Dodge for county commission in 2016.

MORE: Montgomery County: Republicans vie in primary for Dem-held seat

Due to the wide gap in votes, the results are unlikely to differ after the official canvas, but the Ohio Secretary of state has said there is a potential for a high number of outstanding mail-in ballots to arrive later at boards of elections.

Lieberman, from Clayton, has been on the board since 2005. Dodge was first elected to the Montgomery County commission in 2006.

The third member of the board is also a Democrat, first-term Montgomery County Commissioner Carolyn Rice, who was elected in 2018.

MORE: County commissioners face Democratic challengers in primary

Fallout from the coronavirus pandemic has rippled through Montgomery County government, prompting commissioners to declare a fiscal emergency and cut the general fund budget $17.9 million and put hiring on hold. Cascading business shutdowns and decreased economic activity are blunting an expected $20 million in tax revenues, according to Montgomery County Administrator Michael Colbert.

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