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STEUBENVILLE -- Incumbent Ron Ferguson will return to the statehouse for a fourth term as Ohio's 96th District State Representative.
Unofficial results show Ferguson, a Republican, pulling 24,802 votes--just under 66% of the votes cast in Tuesday's general election by voters in Jefferson, Monroe and eastern Belmont counties–compared to 12,949 for his Democratic challenger, Charrie Foglio.
"Obviously, it's very exciting," Ferguson, 40, said afterwards. "This is the district I grew up in. It's been the honor of a lifetime to represent Eastern Ohio, and now I get one more term to do that and I'm going to continue to advocate for the principles and values of Eastern Ohio and the people I represent."
Ferguson said it's too soon to talk legislative priorities for the next session.
"I still have to finish out the (current) term, we have to...close out what we're doing right now. Then we can go into the next General Assembly with the mindset of how to make our state a better place to live, work and raise a family."
Ferguson was quick to credit Foglio for getting involved, and said he thinks what he's done during his first two terms tipped the scale in his favor.
"It seems the way I've been leading, putting the 96th above Columbus and making sure I stand up for people's rights each and every day," he said. "I've done that for three terms and I plan to do it for one more."
Foglio said she congratulates Ferguson "and wish him the best" as he returns to the statehouse for a fourth term.
"I know that he wanted to finish out his (fourth) term, now he'll get a chance to do that," she said.
Although disappointed with the outcome in the race, Foglio said she did "much better than I thought I would in such a red district."
"The whole point about stepping up for me was to make things better in any way that I could," she said, adding she's thrilled to have been on the campaign trail with Governor-elect Amy Acton and U.S. Senator-elect Sherrod Brown to help change the trajectory nationally as well.
"I am so proud to have played a part in that," she said. "It was an incredible experience. I met so many amazing people and learned a ton about myself. I highly recommend running for any office is fhat is where your heart is. Thank you District 96 and thank you (Jefferson County Democratic Chair) Eddie Abdulla."