MOUNT VERNON — Knox County has produced three early candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant 98th District seat in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Scott Pullins, a Mount Vernon-based attorney and member of the Knox County Republican Central Committee, announced in April that he would be “exploring a second run” for the seat.
He ran for it in 2022 as well, falling to incumbent Darrell Kick in the Republican primary with 43% of the vote.
“Despite an onslaught of special interest, out-of-state, dark money spent on Darrell Kick’s behalf, we showed we can compete in this district. I’m looking forward to knocking on doors and meeting even more Republicans throughout the district over the next year,” Pullins said in a statement this spring.
“I am clearly the most conservative candidate looking at this race. Unlike others, I have over three decades of work fighting for lower taxes, medical freedom, the second amendment, and for liberty.”
Brandon Lape, a Danville resident who works as an information technology (IT) professional at Ariel Corporation, announced in May that he, too, would be exploring a run for the seat.
Lape ran as a Libertarian in 2020 for the right to represent Ohio’s 7th Congressional District. He lost to incumbent Republican Bob Gibbs, who gained 67% of the vote.
Lape then ran as a Republican in 2022 for the right to represent Ohio’s 12th Congressional District. He fell in the Republican primary to incumbent Troy Balderson, who gained 82% of the vote.
Lape will be running as a Republican once again this time around.
“I really like the idea of trying to restrict the federal government’s involvement at the state level – that has lit a little more of a fire underneath me (this time around),” Lape said.
“We can do this at the state level. We can empower our state government to tell the federal government that we don’t need them. But we have to strengthen ourselves in order to do it. And it’s just crucial we get into doing that. That’s primarily (why I’m running). I want to see what I can do at the state level when it comes to restricting that.”
Amber Keener, an at-large Republican representative on Mount Vernon City Council, announced July 12 that she would be throwing her hat in the ring as well.
Keener has served on City Council since June 2021, when she was appointed by the Knox County Republican Central Committee to fill the seat vacated by Tanner Salyers, who had stepped down to become the next Knox County Recorder.
Keener won her first full term in-office that November, as one of four candidates running for City Council’s three at-large seats. She is running unopposed for re-election this fall, as one of three candidates vying for the three at-large seats.
“As a mother of five children, I was drawn to get more involved in 2020 in order to protect what is special in Ohio for my children and the next generation,” Keener said in a statement July 12 announcing her candidacy.
“As our next state representative, I will dedicate myself to serving the people of Knox, Holmes and Coshocton counties.”
The 98th House District includes the eastern half of Knox County and all of Holmes and Coshocton Counties. It is currently represented by Darrell Kick (R-Loudonville).
Kick assumed office Jan. 1 after being elected last November, and his current term ends Dec. 31, 2024. This is his fourth term in the Ohio House of Representatives (he served three terms representing District 70 from 2016-2022), meaning he will not be able to run again in 2024 due to term limits.
While all three candidates have announced they will be running for Kick’s seat, it’s unclear what part of Ohio that seat will represent come 2024. Redistricting could lead to new election maps, just as it did in 2022, which could mean a new geographical district for Kick’s replacement.
The primary for the Nov. 5, 2024 general election will be held March 19. The deadline to file petitions for candidacy in the primary is Dec. 20, 2023 at 4 p.m.
The Knox County Board of Elections confirmed July 12 that no candidates had pulled petitions to run for the position yet.
I don’t know Brandon Lape, so I can’t make a statement about him. I do, however, know Amber Keener. She is definitely not what see seems. People need to get to know the “real person” behind the mask. My vote is for Scott Pullins. A true republican conservative.