The tumultuous campaign for the republican nomination to the Ohio State Senate’s 26th district appears to have come to a close with Bill Reineke of Tiffin taking a decisive victory over Marysville’s Melissa Ackison.
After Tuesday’s vote totals from Union, Sandusky, Seneca, Wyandot, Crawford, Morrow and Marion counties were tabulated, Reineke held a 24,599 to 13,362 vote advantage over Ackison. Final vote totals won’t be known for several days as boards of election allow time for ballots mailed late to arrive.
Reineke will apparently now move on face democrat Craig Swartz of Upper Sandusky in the November general election as he seeks to win the seat currently held by Dave Burke of Marysville.
The two republican candidates apparently believe Reineke’s 65-to-35% advantage will not change enough after the final vote tally to affect the outcome, as both addressed constituents after the results were announced.
The election brings to a close a campaign that saw attack ads, allegations launched on social media and confrontations among supporters.
In an email, Reineke, who currently represents the 88th district in the Ohio House, said he appreciated the support and trust voters have placed in him.
“I look forward to continuing that strong collaboration with the citizens of all seven counties in this district to continue to bring a great deal of focus on conservative solutions to our most pressing issues,” he wrote.
Reineke, who was painted by his opponent as a political insider, was endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party, Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan, and Burke, among others.
“I was honored to have a well-respected slate of county chairs in all seven counties, including our current State Senator Dave Burke, and a solid campaign team who executed a great campaign,” Reineke wrote.
Ackison called herself the only true conservative in the race and billed herself as a political maverick. She reflected on the race in an 11-minute video posted online.
“I really can’t (congratulate Reineke),” Ackison said in the video. “I’m not a person that can congratulate someone that ran a campaign fueled by lies and hatred.”
Ackison said the support of political insiders may have undone her campaign.
“We had everything working against us,” she said. “We had Congressmen Jim Jordan get involved and sell Bill Reineke to you as a conservative and we all know there is no truth to that.”
Despite her ties to the Republican Party, Ackison said she would not advise her supporters to vote for Reineke in the general election.
“I don’t want you thinking that you have to go into the general election supporting Bill Reineke,” she said. “… I could not in good conscience tell all of you to get behind him.”
Ackison did not allude to future political aspirations, but said she is glad the campaign is over and hopes harassment of her family will now end.
“When you go into politics, you have to make a determination of what you want to be at the end,” Ackison said. “Do you want to be a winner in life or in politics, because if you want to be a winner in life then it is very difficult to run a race full of integrity, raise your money the right way, stand by your principals and never compromise your constitutional beliefs.”