Former Cincinnati school board member Catherine Ingram has won a Democratic primary in the 32nd Ohio House District over two challengers.
With 76 of 78 precincts reporting, Ingram had 51.5 percent of the vote. Shawn Butler, who was an aide to former Mayor Mark Mallory, took 30 percent, while Leo D’Cruz, a business owner and community organizer, had 18 percent.
The Hamilton County Democratic Party had not expected to have a primary contest in this heavily Democratic district this year.
Two years ago, Rep. Christie Bryant Kuhns of Northside was elected seat, which was open because Dale Mallory was term-limited out.
But, in early December, Kuhns surprised party officials by announcing she would not be running for a second two-year term because she had accepted a job at University of Cincinnati Health, leading strategic community relations in several city neighborhoods.
That left the door open; and three candidates filed by the Dec. 16 deadline.
This year, the party decided not to endorse in the primary.
The 32nd District is one that sprawls from Mt. Adams to Mt. Healthy and includes Downtown, Over-the-Rhine, Pendleton, Camp Washington, Northside, Mt. Airy, the West End, Mt. Auburn, College Hill and North College Hill.
It is what is called in the world of politics a “majority minority district” – 52 percent of its residents are African-American.
Here’s an indication of how Democratic it is: Two years ago, Kuhns won the seat with 71 percent of the vote.
This year, the Republican candidate is Matthew H. Wahlert. He had no opposition in Tuesday’s primary.
