COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio lawmaker Allison Russo fought to the end with hopes of flipping the 15th Congressional District in a special election. 

What You Need To Know

  • Backed by President Joe Biden, the two-term legislator ran against coal lobbyist Mike Carey who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump

  • Russo was hoping to replace Republican Steve Stivers who stepped down earlier this year to head up the Ohio Chamber of Commerce

  • Early reports indicated that it would be a tough race for Russo to win

Once U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers decided to vacate the seat, Russo threw her hat in the ring even though Trump won the area by 14 percentage points and Stivers won by even more.

Raising slightly more money than Republican candidate Mike Carey early on, the former public health professional was hopeful. After all, flipping a GOP seat to blue was nothing new to her, as she did that very thing when she ran in 2018 for the Ohio Legislature.

With District 15 spanning from the suburbs of Columbus to Athens County, Russo attempted to reach voters with messaging centered around a fight against corruption, advocacy for children and families, boosting access to healthcare and getting an infrastructure deal passed

Still, that wasn't enough as Carey, campaigning as a pro-Trump conservative, held on for the expected win. 

“While tonight's results are not what we hoped for, I am deeply proud of the campaign that we ran,” Russo said Tuesday night after a concession speech. “And this fight is just beginning. You deserve more leaders in Congress, who will take on the tough fights and who will deliver for Ohio working families.

“There is too much at stake in Washington, and right here in Ohio, for us to sit idly by and on the sidelines. I was built for tough fights, and I am looking forward to the next one in 2022.”

As to what 2022 looks like for Russo race wise, she would only say that she plans to get some rest and spend time with family for now, as there is a lot to consider. For now, she returns to her seat in the Ohio Legislature and gets back to work in her district.