Republican Party Wins Ohio Special Election, Increases House Majority

Republican state Sen. Michael Rulli emerged victorious in a special election held on Tuesday in Ohio’s sixth congressional district, filling the seat left vacant by retiring Rep. Bill Johnson. This win expands the GOP’s slim majority in the House.

Newsmax and DecisionDeskHQ have confirmed Rulli’s victory over Democrat Michael Kripchak to complete the remainder of Johnson’s term. Both Rulli and Kripchak are set to compete again in the general election on Nov. 5 for a full two-year congressional term beginning in January.

Republicans now hold 219 seats in the House compared to Democrats’ 213.

As of 87% precincts reporting, Rulli was ahead with 54.6% of the votes compared to Kripchak’s 45.4%. Johnson, who had represented the district in eastern Ohio since 2010, saw a closer race than anticipated.

Despite Johnson’s substantial victories in past elections and former President Donald Trump’s strong performance in the district in 2020, turnout in special elections tends to be lower, potentially affecting the margin in November.

Rulli, a two-term state senator from Salem in Ohio’s Mahoning Valley, oversees operations for his family’s grocery store chain established over a century ago.

Kripchak, a 42-year-old from Youngstown with a background in the U.S. Air Force, acting, and telecommunications, currently works at a local restaurant.

Johnson resigned earlier in the year after serving 13 years in Congress to assume the role of president at Youngstown State University. The seat had remained vacant until the special election.

The sprawling district encompasses 11 counties along the Ohio River, including East Palestine, where a train derailment and chemical spill occurred in February 2023. According to Dave’s Redistricting App, the district leans predominantly Republican at 58.7%.