Parr edges Leonhard

A strong showing in the city of Portland and Wayne Township helped propel a first-time candidate to a victory over a two-term incumbent in Tuesday’s primary race for Commissioner of the North District.

Faron Parr, who owns an office supply store in Portland and who also runs an industry in Bryant, earned 34 more votes (1,234-1,200) than current Commissioner Mike Leonhard in Tuesday’s Republican primary.

Parr will run against Democrat Jason Davidson in the general election on Nov. 2. Davidson was unopposed in Tuesday’s primary.

Also unopposed Tuesday was incumbent Democrat South District Commissioner Gary Theurer. The Republican Party did not have a candidate slated for that seat in Tuesday’s primary, but still has the opportunity to do so before the general election.

On a evening of roller-coaster emotions that saw the lead bounce back-and-forth at least six times between the two contestants, Parr had just a 16-vote lead after 20 of 21 county precincts were counted.

That final precinct — Wayne 2 (the west side of Portland) saw Parr win by 18 votes, sealing the victory by 34 votes.

“I’m very excited. It was very close. I am overwhelmed,” Parr said shortly after arriving at GOP headquarters at the Jay Community Center.

“I want to thank all the people that voted for me. I was so nervous. I could hardly eat,” Parr said.

Parr did not gather with his fellow Republicans, arriving only after the final precinct had been counted and announced.

Leonhard, who was seated beside fellow Commissioner Milo Miller Jr. for most of Tuesday evening at the community center, said “the best man won” after the final tally was announced.

“I wish him all the luck in the world,” said Leonhard, who shook hands and chatted briefly with Parr before leaving. As precincts were announced, Leonhard walked closer to a radio tuned to local station WPGW so he could hear the results.

“That’s called being close,” Leonhard said as the 17th of 21 precincts was announced. Leonhard trailed by just six votes at that point.

Parr, who received more votes than Leonhard in 10 of the 21 precincts in the county, won all but one of the Wayne precincts within Portland. In the seven Wayne precincts, Parr was chosen by 587 voters, while Leonhard received 516 votes.

Parr also scored convincing victories in Bearcreek Township, where both he and Leonhard reside, and Wabash Township, in extreme northeastern Jay County. Other precinct/township wins for Parr included Jackson, Pike and Madison.

Leonhard, a self-employed contractor who will close out his eighth year in office Dec. 31, ran strongly in western and southwestern Jay County, taking all four precincts in Richland Township (Dunkirk 1 and 3 and North and South Redkey), along with township wins in Penn, Knox, Greene and Jefferson.

The nail-biting nature of the race between Parr and Leonhard was evident from the start, as Parr grabbed a 13-vote lead after the first precinct counted (Wayne 1), only to see that margin trimmed to five votes after the second precinct (Jefferson).

Parr stayed in the lead until a 51-28 win by Leonhard in North Redkey (the eighth of 21 precincts counted) put the incumbent up by five votes. Wins in several Wayne precincts put Parr back in front, only to see Leonhard re-take the lead by five votes with a 15-vote win in Dunkirk 3.

Parr’s edge on Wayne 4 ballots then put him back in front by 13 votes, but Leonhard pulled back ahead by three votes with a win in Penn Township.

A 17-vote win in Wayne 6 (the western half of Wayne Township outside of Portland) put Parr up by 14 votes and, as it turned out, ahead to stay with five more precincts to be counted.

Parr held leads of six, 23 and 16 votes after results from the 18th, 19th and 20th precincts were announced.[[In-content Ad]]