Several states have yet to report, but Ohio has chosen Donald Trump as the next president of the United States. After Clinton’s brief lead earlier in the evening, Trump took 53 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 42 percent. The three C’s — Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati — all favored Clinton, but Trump took the state overall.
Democratic leaders at the party’s watch party at the Hyatt Regency were holding out confidence in Clinton’s potential to take Ohio, but they’ve since focused on their local and state wins. Although Rob Portman is the victor in the Senate, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty has been reelected to the House, and Democrats are winning many of the local and other state offices as well.
Kevin Boyce, current state representative, has been elected Franklin County’s first African American commissioner; the County Recorder position now has its youngest official in Danny O’Connor, 29, who beat out previous recorder Daphne Hawk; and Democratic candidates for state representative Kristin Boggs, Bernadine Kennedy Kent and Herschel Craig all won their respective races.
Mayor Andy Ginther, who spoke at tonight’s watch party, called the night “another historic night for Democrats.”
Stay tuned to Columbus Underground for updates.