A closer-than-expected Ohio congressional race surprises Republicans and encourages Democrats

Columbus, Ohio — A political newcomer’s finish is closer than expected Tuesday’s special congressional elections in Ohio surprised Republicans and shocked Democrats in one former telephone state both parties nearly conceded to a runaway Trump victory this fall.

Democrat Michael Kripchak still lost the race for the 6th Congressional District to two-term Republican Sen. Michael Rulli, 55, by 9.3 percentage points. Comfortable enough, but much closer than Republicans had previously seen in the district.

Former President Donald Trump expanded the district, which runs along the Ohio River and border with Pennsylvania, by about 30 percentage points in 2020. Former GOP Rep. Bill Johnson — whose unexpired term was up for grabs Tuesday — had won his last four elections by even more than that.

Kripchak, 42, also became the first Democratic candidate to carry working-class Mahoning County — home to Youngstown and Ohio’s once-proud Steel Valley — since Trump turned it red in 2020. Kripchak leads the province by a narrow margin as votes are still up. is counted.

Mahoning County Republican Chairman Tom McCabe said that’s pretty much on par with a purple county that’s often close to 50/50. He noted that the Republican Party’s margins lagged more behind Trump’s performance in several smaller rural counties, where turnout was just 8.5%.

The closer-than-expected margin likely had as much to do with a lack of interest as any shift in voter sentiment.

“It is a solid red district. We know that,” McCabe said. “We went into this election knowing that, and maybe we took it all a little bit for granted.”

McCabe, who also serves as county elections director, said voters may have been turned off by the woes of the primaries or confused by the calendar. But he doesn’t see this continuing into November, when Rulli and Kripchak will face off again for a full two-term term in the House of Representatives.

This time, however, they will be on the ballot with a presidential race, which he expects will see much higher turnout in the 6th District.

“We’ll make sure it’s over before it starts,” he vowed confidently.

Rulli was equally confident in his victory speech. He credited Kripchak for his hard work but said he was the superior retail politician better suited to the working-class district.

“This is Bruce Springsteen, the forgotten man, ‘Joe Bag of Donuts.’”

Kripchak said Wednesday he wasn’t surprised he performed above expectations. He said he thinks Democrats can win the district with effort and investment.

“I know there’s a lot of commentary about this being a Trumpian district, but that’s not what I learned during the campaign,” he said. “This is a district that feels abandoned by the Democratic Party.”

Democrat Robert Hagan, retired as the area’s former state senator, said he hopes Democrats in the district will be encouraged by the outcome.

“The Democrats had become so discouraged, so overwhelmed by the Trumpian style of politics, how it has become more confrontational, and by all the Democratic unrest,” he said. “I hope this is a wake-up call for Democrats who seem to be in a difficult situation. discouraged state of mind that we can do this. Just come out and vote.”