Democrat Monique Smith is quietly celebrating her upset win in the Ohio Statehouse’s 16th District – which includes Westlake, Bay Village, Rocky River, North Olmsted and Fairview Park – while awaiting certified election results for her race against incumbent Republican Dave Greenspan.
The unofficial count after last Tuesday’s election has Smith beating Greenspan by 1,180 votes. The 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent margin is a thin one, Smith admits, calling it simply “a close race.”
“I do think it was extremely helpful that my district was leaning toward Biden, we saw that in polling even in the summertime. So that's it, that was a huge factor, no doubt about it,” Smith said. “I'm going to have to work very hard to show the people of this district, no matter what party they're from, that I'm working for them.”
Smith’s campaign sold the candidate to voters on her being an 18-year resident of the West Side, with two children in local public schools.
“My extended family and former colleagues live in this district, and that is a true reflection of the community's sort of values,” Smith said, “I share their life experiences. I tried from day one to communicate that. I think that came through and I hope it did.”
Greenspan declined ideastream's request for an interview, saying he would wait to comment until after the certified results, which are expected from the Cuyahoga County Board of Election on Nov. 18.
In a previous interview, Greenspan, who held the seat for four years, referred to himself as a “practical conservative” who votes in the interest of his district. Greenspan voted against House Bill 6, the controversial nuclear bailout bill at the center of a bribery scandal involving former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenville), and is a primary co-sponsor of legislation to repeal it.
Greenspan refers to the 16th District as “historically split” and pointed to the fact that it’s a place where one might see a Greenspan campaign sign in the same yard as a Biden sign.
The 16th District seat has been held by Republicans since 2008.
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