Driscoll wins Clark County Common Pleas judicial race

Attorney Brian Driscoll is the winner of Tuesday’s Republican primary for Clark County Common Pleas Court judge in the general division, according to final, unofficial results from the Clark County Board of Elections.

As of Tuesday night, Driscoll has received more than 41% of the vote with 5,692 ballots cast in his favor, while challenger Melissa Tuttle received nearly 31%, and challenger Daniel Harkins received nearly 28%.

“This was the first step, and our main goal is November,” Driscoll said.

Driscoll has worked as an attorney for nearly 20 years, and is the assistant prosecuting attorney for the Champaign County Prosecutor’s Office. Before that, he was a Clark County Municipal Court judge, assistant prosecuting attorney for the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office for 16 years, and a general practice attorney for four years.

He thank his family and his other supporters who cast their ballots during a rainy primary election.

“Their support means the world to me,” he said.

The Republican candidates competed for the seat being vacated by Clark County Common Pleas Judge Richard O’Neill, whose term is set to expire on Jan. 2, 2023.

Harkins has been an attorney in Ohio for 37 years, 26 of which have been in Springfield.

Harkins congratulated Driscoll on his primary win. The attorney also thanked those who supported him in his campaign.

Tuttle, who has lived in Springfield her whole life, is the current clerk of the Clark County Common Pleas Court.

“I look forward to continuing to better the Clerk’s Offices and making justice more transparent,” Tuttle said, saying she hopes the person appointed to the seat is willing to collaborate in the future to modernize the justice system.

Driscoll will face off with Democratic candidate Regina Richards, who ran unopposed. She has lived and practiced law in Springfield the last eight years.

In addition, Robert Lancaster Jr., who withdrew his application to run in the second general division race against current Common Pleas judge Douglas Rastatter, said in an email that he intends to run as an independent in the general election for O’Neill’s seat.

Current Common Pleas Court judge Douglas Rastatter is running unopposed. He will run in November for a second judge seat in the general division, with his term beginning in January. He grew up in Springfield and has been a judge for 17 years.

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