Primary2008: Big Party Money Can't Buy Majority of Races for Arshinkoff

This came in last night after I shut down "live coverage" of the primary:

The New Summit Republican scored a strong victory tonight in the ongoing effort to oust Alex Arshinkoff and elect a new chairman of the Summit County Republican Party.

In the contested precincts for Republican County Central Committee, 83 anti-Arshinkoff candidates won, while Arshinkoff-backed candidates won in 64 precincts. Candidates in 4 precincts tied.

"Last year, Alex Arshinkoff said our effort would fizzle by December," said former Fairlawn mayor Pete Kostoff. "Well, we're still here, we're on the verge of ousting him, and making a clean break from the past."

"Alex Arshinkoff has spent more of the party's money in the last week to save his job than he has spent on any local or countywide candidate in recent years," State Senator Kevin Coughlin said. "Still, we've won in more precincts than him. This should send a strong message to all Republican leaders that Alex Arshinkoff has lost control of the party."

In some of the higher profile races, several New Summit Republican candidates defeated Arshinkoff insiders:

Senator Coughlin defeated Cuyahoga Falls mayor Don Robart in their home precinct for a seat on the central committee.

Kostoff defeated Summit County Republican Party vice chair and Board of Elections Director Bryan Williams.

New Summit County Board of Elections member and longtime Republican activist Donald Varian defeated Summit County Republican Finance Committee member Ray Weber.

Akron Attorney Marshal Pitchford defeated Summit County Republican Finance Committee member William Criss.

Hudson Republican activist Arlene Wagner defeated pro-Arshinkoff city councilman Tom Ellicson.

Stow attorney Lee Wagoner defeated Arshinkoff's political director Michael Chadsey.

Silver Lake's Jon Turney defeated Summit County Republican Finance Committee member Edward Bittle.

In the two races for Republican State Central Committee, the two sides split. Anti-Arshinkoff candidate Anne Coughlin was elected to one seat, while pro-Arshinkoff candidate Bryan Williams won the other.

Results in several precincts remain unclear after tonight's results. Over 5,000 provisional ballots were cast in Summit County. In the tied races and those decided by a few votes or less, provisional and overseas ballots could change the outcomes.

"What is certain is that we have elected a significant bloc of Anti-Arshinkoff members to the party's central committee," Coughlin said. "As we begin the fourth quarter, we have the ball and good field position. I am grateful to everyone who ran for central committee. Ending the corruption and mismanagement in our local party is worth the fight. I now call on all Summit County Republicans to come together and strengthen our party behind a new chairman. Together, we can get our party winning again."