DARKE COUNTY — Voters in Darke County, as well as in the rest of the Buckeye State, will face important decisions in Ohio’s March 15 primary elections.
Four other states — Florida, Illinois, Missouri, and North Carolina — will also hold their primaries that day.
The most-discussed contest in 2016 is the race for the White House.
Though much may change between now and March 15, GOP voters will be asked to select a nominee from a multitude of candidates including Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, John Kasich, and Jeb Bush, among others.
The Democratic presidential candidate field is much less crowded, with Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders recognized as the top two contenders.
The national spotlight will fall on Ohio this summer as well, when Cleveland plays host to the Republican National Convention July 18-21.
Another contest in the spotlight this coming year is the race to replace U.S. Rep. John Boehner in Ohio’s 8th Congressional District.
Republican voters will select a candidate in the March 15 primary to fill the remainder of Boehner’s unfinished term beginning June 7. GOP primary voters will also select a candidate to run for the 2017-2019 term, in all likelihood the winner of the March 15 vote.
State Sen. Bill Beagle, State Rep. Tim Derickson, Troy teacher J.D. Winteregg, and Tipp City businessman Scott George are among a number of Republicans vying for the position.
Only one Democrat has filed to run for the seat — Corey Foister of Fairfield, Ohio.
The U.S. Senate race may be of interest to Ohio voters, with former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland seeking to be the Democratic nominee versus Cincinnati Councilman P.G. Sittenfeld and occupational therapist Kelly Prather.
On the Republican side, incumbent Senator Rob Portman faces conservative challengers Don Eckhart and Melissa Strzala in the primary.
John Adams and Matt Huffman, two former Republican state representatives, will compete for Ohio’s District 12 Senate seat being vacated in 2017 by Sen. Keith Faber.
Though prohibited from running for the Ohio Senate due to term limits, Faber is hoping to be elected to the Ohio House, this time in the state’s 84th District. Current office-holder Rep. Jim Buchy announced he will not run for the seat again.
Faber will face Democrat Ed Huff, Jr., of Ansonia, Ohio, in the general election.
Darke County itself will witness a race for two of the three seats on the Darke County Board of Commissioners. In the March 15 primary, Republicans will select a candidate from a field featuring Matt Aultman, Fred Dean and Joe LeMaster. Leon Rogers will be the Democratic nominee. Current Commissioner Mike Rhoades is running unopposed.
