While one recent Ohio State alumnus running for state office in Tuesday’s election saw victory, another saw defeat.
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Niraj Antani, a spring 2013 graduate, won his bid for state representative of Ohio’s 42nd House District.
Antani was running against Democratic opponent Patrick Merris, who is currently a councilman in West Carrollton, Ohio.
Antani’s win makes him one of the first Republican Indian-American elected officials in Ohio history and one of the youngest sitting state representatives.
He is currently a law student at the University of Dayton.
Antani told The Lantern Wednesday that he’s excited to get started.
“I am very honored to have been elected and am looking forward to serving the people of my district and to continue fighting for our generation,” he said.
Antani said he would recommend students to run for government at a young age.
“I sincerely believe we need more young people in government if we want solutions for us we have to step up to the plate and lead,” he said.
Antani won by 29.18 percentage points.
Another OSU alumnus, however, didn’t come out ahead in the election. Micah Kamrass, a spring 2011 graduate, lost his bid for state representative of the 28th Ohio House District as the Democratic candidate.
Kamrass was the Undergraduate Student Government president from 2010-11.
He lost his race to Republican opponent Jonathan Dever, the founder of a law firm and a technology company, by 11.74 percentage points.
Kamrass, who received his law degree and master’s in public policy from OSU as well,, currently works for the Cincinnati law firm Manley Burke.
Kamrass could not be reached for comment via a campaign email as of Wednesday afternoon.
Tuesday’s elections in Ohio set a modern record low for voter turnout.
In Franklin County, only 36.25 percent of those eligible actually voted.
Statewide, in terms of the actual number of voters, this year was the lowest turnout in an election since before 1978.
After Tuesday’s elections, the Republican Party maintains control over Ohio’s government.
Gov. John Kasich, an OSU alumnus and the Republican incumbent, was elected to a second term.
Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine won the attorney general race against attorney David Pepper, who represented the Democratic Party.
Secretary of State Jon Husted, representing the Republican Party, was re-elected.
Republican State Auditor Dave Yost won re-election as well, running against Democrat John Patrick Carney and Libertarian candidate Bob Bridges.
State treasurer and OSU alumnus Josh Mandel, representing the Republican Party, won re-election against Democrat Connie Pillich.
The Ohio representatives in U.S. House of Representatives now consist of 12 Republicans and four Democrats.
