Dark horse candidate J.R. Majewski gets surprise win in OH-9 GOP primary

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Despite being a newcomer to politics and being vastly outspent, J.R. Majewski came away with the win in the Republican primary for Ohio’s 9th district on Tuesday.

“I’m only the underdog because I was underestimated, and I was underestimated because I wasn’t part of the political establishment that we’ve had here in the ninth for so many years,” said Majewski.

Airwaves in northwest Ohio were mostly covered in ads from Craig Riedel or Theresa Gavarone, both already elected officials in the state legislature. But it was Majewski that would win the race, taking 36% of the vote, 3,129 more than his nearest competitor.

“My campaign and my candidacy is not about my ideology. It’s about the constituents of the ninth district,” Majewski said.

Rep. Riedel came in second at 30%. Sen. Gavarone took 29%, and a fourth candidate, Beth Deck, with 5%.

Majewski will now face long-time Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur in the general election.

Redistricting has turned Kaptur’s district into a tossup, with an almost perfect 50/50 split of the Presidential vote in 2020.

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