Hiner wins GOP primary for Ohio 98th District

^{MOUNT VERNON — Mark Hiner jumped to an early lead in the Republican race for Ohio House 98th District and never relinquished it.}

^{The 98th District includes the eastern half of Knox County and Holmes and Coshocton counties.}

^{Hiner took a commanding lead early, garnering more than 50 percent of the absentee vote in all three counties. The final tallies showed Hiner with 59 percent in Knox, 61.95 percent in Holmes, and 55 percent in Coshocton.}

^{“Hopefully that means the voters heard our message and are in agreement with it,” Hiner said of the results.}

^{Hiner said he has talked all along about relationships and how important they are.}

^{“That’s a big piece of it. Our legislature has to work together and we have to quit bickering. I think the voters think I am the best one to do that,” he said.}

^{Hiner hesitated to thank supporters individually for fear of leaving someone out.}

^{“Regardless of who they were and what their role was, everybody that helped was part of it, and everybody deserves the credit. It’s a victory for everyone to share in,” he said.}

^{“I’m looking forward to getting out this summer and meeting more people for the race in the fall. Hopefully, we’ll be victorious there as well and can get on with getting things done in Columbus,” he added.}

^{Contenders Scott Pullins and Brandon Lape drew consistent results throughout the evening.}

^{Pullins garnered about 27 percent of the final votes over the three counties. Lape came in with roughly 17 percent.}

^{“I want to thank everyone that donated, put up signs, and voted for me. But at the end of the day I faced a candidate that spent somewhere in excess of $150k against me. At the same time, promised support failed to arrive on my behalf. No one could have overcome these attacks. So, back to the practice of law,” Pullins said via email.}

^{“I would like to thank the nearly 2,500 people that voted for me. Thank you to all who helped spread the word, hand out flyers, knock on doors, distribute yard signs, and contribute financially,” Lape said, also via email.}

^{“Losing isn’t easy; neither is going up against people with lots of money. Rest assured, when political seats are bought and paid for, it is we the people that will always lose.”}

^{Hiner will face Democrat Annie Homestad in the November election. Homestad ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.}

^{Results are unofficial until certified.}