Incumbents Weinstein, Roemer, Roegner, Galonski, Pavliga win Statehouse races in Summit, Portage

No incumbents lost their new districts in the redrawn Ohio House and Senate maps covering Summit County.

In Portage County's 72nd House District, first-term Republican incumbent Gail Pavliga held off former state Rep. Kathleen Clyde, according to final unofficial results that put the southern Portage County Republican ahead by 2.7 percentage points, well outside of the 0.5 percentage point margin of victory that would trigger an automatic recount.

Late-arriving absentee ballots must still be counted before the results of any race are certified.

Following the win, Pavliga said she's eager to continue the work she started during her first term.

"I just look forward to getting back to Columbus to legislate and represent our county," she said. "I'm just completely honored to be selected by the voters of Portage County to represent them another few years."

During her second term, Pavliga said that she intends to continue working on mental health, addiction recovery, higher education, workforce development and lowering taxes.

Ohio House results:View updated results information

State Rep. Tavia Galonski cruised to a third full term in the Ohio House, taking nearly three-quarters of the vote in the Akron-centered 33rd House District.

In Summit's 31st and 32nd House districts, Republicans Bill Roemer and Bob Young defended their seats, albeit by slimmer margins. Roemer, who will start his second full term in January, defeated Summit County Councilwoman Rita Darrow with 52% of the vote. First-term state Rep. Young beat former Green City Councilman Matt Shaughnessy with 54% of the vote.

In a new 34th House District, which now includes all of Cuyahoga Falls, Stow and Hudson, incumbent Rep. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, defeated Republican Hudson City Councilwoman Beth Bigham for a second straight election.

"I’m incredibly thankful for the trust and confidence the voters of the 34th District have placed in me," said Weinstein, who won 53.8% of the unofficial vote in his newly redrawn district compared to 51.4% in 2020. "Regardless of party, they can count on me to work relentlessly for their families and for the betterment of our community."

Two first-time candidates faced off in an oddly shaped 35th House District that runs through parts of Summit, Portage and Geauga counties. Steve Demetriou took 56% of the vote, dispatching Democrat Lori O'Neill.

State Sen. Kristina Roegner, a Republican, held on to a newly configured 27th Ohio Senate District that came close to flipping for upstart Democratic challenger Patricia Goetz. Roegner, a seasoned campaigner who won multiple races in the House before moving to the Senate, won with only 51%.

The election is taking place using maps deemed unconstitutional by Ohio's Supreme Court for being drawn to unfairly favor Republicans.

Incumbent Republican Kristina Roegner competed against Democrat Patricia Goetz for 4-year term in Summit's 27th District

In the state Senate race for Summit County's 27th District, which covers northern, western and southern Summit County, including part of the city of Akron, incumbent Republican Roegner beat Democratic challenger Goetz.

Roegner is in her first term in the Ohio Senate.

The newly redrawn district represents much of Summit County, and portions of Geauga and Portage counties.

Roegner, a Hudson resident, served four terms in the Ohio House from 2011 to 2018. From 2005 to 2010, she served on Hudson City Council.

During her time in the Senate, Roegner said she's gotten 10 bills signed into law by the governor. Half of those are related to occupational licensure compacts.

Additionally, she sponsored Senate Bill 9, a law that reduces restrictions in the state.

Roegner has also sponsored bills that would effectively outlaw abortion and ban transgender girls from playing female sports.

Roegner vs. Goetz:View updated live results

Republican incumbent Gail Pavliga faced former Democrat Rep. Kathleen Clyde for 2-year term

Voters in Portage County's 72nd District, which covers the northern and central Portage County, chose Republican incumbent Pavliga over Clyde, a Democrat with name recognition as a former candidate for secretary of state, a former county commissioner and four-time member of the Ohio House.

During the 2020 election cycle, Pavliga flipped the 75th District red, unseating Democrat Randi Clites.

Pavliga has worked during her term to bring Court Appointed Special Advocates program to Portage County, and she also introduced House Bill 468, establishing a 988 suicide prevention hotline.

72nd District race:First-term incumbent faces off against former state rep in 72nd District race

While an opponent to abortion herself, Pavliga has said that both sides of the debate need to have their voices heard.

Pavliga sponsored HB 193, a law requiring electronic prescriptions for legal Schedule II drugs, except in certain cases.

Democrat incumbent Casey Weinstein sought reelection in 34th House District against Republican challenger Beth Bigham

In the 34th District, Democrat Weinstein carried a more compact district that covers Cuyahoga Falls, Silver Lake, Stow, Hudson and the northernmost tips of Akron. Weinstein flipped his current seat for Democrats in 2018.

He faced Republican Bigham, who also lost to Weinstein in 2020.

During his time in office, Weinstein spearheaded the effort to remove House Speaker Larry Householder despite being part of the bipartisan coalition that elected Householder to the position.

Weinstein also has worked to claw back power plant subsidies FirstEnergy gained through lobbying efforts in a $61 million bribery scandal involving Householder and FirstEnergy.

Election 2022:On front porches in a new 34th District, Weinstein and Bigham hear very different concerns

Additionally, he introduced a bill to legalize and tax marijuana before the subject was being widely discussed by House Republicans.

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Election results: Will any Summit, Portage Statehouse seats flip?