Ohio voters chose a grocer and state senator who once played in a grunge band to fill the vacant 6th District seat on Tuesday, boosting Republicans’ narrow House majority.
Republican Michael Rulli had 52 percent to Democrat Michael Kripchak’s 48 percent when The Associated Press called the special election at 9:02 p.m. Eastern time. Independent Christopher Lafont was also a write-in candidate on the ballot whose tally was not reported Tuesday night by the AP.
Rulli will serve the remainder of former Republican Rep. Bill Johnson’s term, which runs through January. When he is sworn in, Republicans will hold 219 seats to Democrats’ 213. Rulli and Kripchak are also on the November ballot, vying for a full term starting next year. Johnson resigned in January to become president of Youngstown State University.
