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Newcomers Smith, Picard registered big wins; Laubach upset Marconi

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By Ed Richter, Staff Writer 1:36 AM Sunday, November 8, 2009

In some of the races for the four ward seats on Middletown City Council, it wasn’t even close.

Even though voter turnout was low in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, some candidates lost by wide margins to opponents making their first council runs.

John Soppanish, who squared off against A.J. Smith for the 2nd Ward seat being vacated by incumbent Councilwoman Leslie Ford, lost every precinct in the 2nd Ward.

Smith won the seat by nearly a 3 to 1 ratio with a final, unofficial vote of 930 to Soppanish’s 365 or by a percentage of 71.8 percent to 28.2 percent.

Smith also became the youngest member ever elected to serve on council.

Winning by more than a 2 to 1 ratio was newcomer Daniel Picard, who went against former mayoral candidate Paul Nagy for the 4th Ward seat that has been held by veteran Councilman David Schiavone for the past 16 years.

Picard also swept all eight of the Butler County precincts in the 4th Ward by a percentage of more than 66 percent of the vote. He also took two precincts and tied with Nagy in Warren County.

Nagy said this was his final campaign for a seat on council.

He won with a final unofficial vote of 1,093 to Nagy’s 567 votes.

Incumbent 1st Ward Councilman Jim Armbruster won re-election to his seat on council by a final, unofficial vote of 1,319 to 830 votes, more than 61 percent of the vote over challenger Gary Barge, who was an unsuccessful candidate for an at-large council seat in 2007.

Armbruster won seven of nine Butler County precincts as well as one precinct in Warren County.

Barge said that he is considering challenging incumbent Mayor Larry Mulligan Jr. in 2012 for his mayoral seat on council.

The race, which was won with the fewest votes among all of the council races and turned out to be a big surprise once the votes were counted in both counties, was between newcomer Joshua Laubach and well-known incumbent 3rd Ward Councilman Tony Marconi.

Laubach, 27, defeated Marconi’s bid for a second four-year term by a margin of 106 votes.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or at erichter@coxohio.com.

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One word for big slick . . . .

"Seriously"

I hope you didn't vote?

Abacus
1:36 PM, 11/9/2009

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AJ = ObamaLite

Ike
12:50 PM, 11/9/2009

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you think 6 x 45 = (7 x 50) - 35

you quack me up.

Daffy Duck
12:33 PM, 11/9/2009

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Why is it aurprise that Marconi lost?Here is a man that bids on million dollar concrete and cement jobs,yet can't figure a solution to the total deteriation/erosion of the streets/sidewalks,not to mention his horrible communication skills? He would look up words in a thesuarus before each council meeting & when using them,it sounded like nonsense!Hey Tony,do you remember in the gym and you asked me how much 6 45lb plates and the bar weighed?C'mon,all u do is take 7 x 50,subtract 35, = 315lbs!

Big Slick
12:03 PM, 11/9/2009

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Hey Darrell, if you don't live in Middletown then why are you SO concerned about the age of the new council?? Who cares with what you have to say! The "change" don't have anything to do with you!

Really?
11:16 AM, 11/9/2009

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