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Washington County will continue to be represented by Republicans in Columbus for the next two years. GOP candidates in House Districts 94 and 95 won handily in Tuesday's election.
Incumbent Republican Jay Edwards won a second term representing District 94, and the contest to take District 95 after the mandatory, term-limited retirement of Marietta's Andy Thompson went to Carroll County teacher Don Jones, a Republican.
Washington County is split between District 95, which takes in part of Marietta -- Ward 3 -- and roughly the northern half of the county and extends in a narrow finger up through Noble, Belmont, Harrison and Carroll counties, and District 94, which includes Marietta wards 1, 2, and 4, the southern half of the county, along with most of Athens County, all of Meigs and the eastern third of Vinton.
In District 94, Edwards was challenged by Democrat Taylor Sappington. Edwards won decisively, 23,556, or 58.29 percent, to 16,885, or 41.71 percent, with about 98 percent of the precincts reporting statewide just before midnight.
Edwards, a licensed realtor and graduate of Ohio University was first elected in 2016, succeeding a four-term Democrat, Debbie Phillips, who was ineligible to run again because of term limits. Edward's salary as a House member in 2017 was $60,584.
Sappington, who has served on Nelsonville City Council, is an Ohio University graduate.
"It's been a tough year, and I am amazed at the turnout," Edwards said Tuesday night. "Historically, you would expect about half the turnout you'd get in a presidential year, but we had more than 40,000 this year."
Edwards said he's grateful for another term.
"I am extremely humbled and honored that people have re-elected me to the state House. I'm very passionate about local government, about schools, and we've gotten the ball rolling, a lot of funds, and I've let voters feel like their voices have been heard. I'm honored people trusted me with their vote, and I'm going to keep fighting for them every day."
Sappington said he was proud of a hard-fought campaign.
"The young people, the volunteers, the small-dollar donors, we knocked on more doors than anyone before us, it was a real grassroots mission," he said. "I was inspired by the people I met, and I mean to keep advocating for policy positions and working with young Democrats."
In District 95, Jones was opposed by Democrat Dan Milleson. Jones won the night, 28,841, or 65.74 percent, to 15,027, or 34.26 percent, with about 98 percent of the precincts reporting statewide.
Jones is an agricultural education teacher from Carroll County, a volunteer with the Deerfield Fire Department and former chairman of the Harrison Soil and Water Conservation board.
Milleson, from Harrison County, operates an insurance agency. He headed an effort in 2015 that passed a $53 million levy to rebuild Harrison County schools.
Jones said he heard expressions of appreciation from voters about how clean and civil the campaigns run by him and Milleson had been.
"I want to congratulate my opponent on a good, clean race, I got lots of compliments about that," he said. "I want to thank the voters for putting their trust in me. We're going to sit down and start making a list, and education will be at the top. I also want to look into business regulations that people tell me are problematic, but education is first. I want to do what's good for our kids."
Milleson could not be contacted Tuesday night.
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By the numbers
94th State District (97.65 percent of precincts reporting, 11:40 p.m.)
¯ Jay Edwards (R): 23,556 (58.29 percent)
¯ Taylor Sappington (D): 16,855 (41.71 percent)
95th State District
¯ Don Jones (R): 28,841 (65.74 percent)
¯ Dan Milleson (D): 15,027 (34.26 percent)