The two-term Ohio senator backed by Donald Trump and John Kasich has retained the seat for Republicans

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A two-term Ohio state senator who was backed by both Donald Trump and Governor John Kasich, a leading Trump critic, has won a congressional special election, retaining a coveted open House seat for Republicans.

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Voters picked Troy Balderson, of Zanesville, over Democrat Danny O’Connor, the Franklin county recorder, to complete the unexpired term of ex-US representative Pat Tiberi, who retired in January. Balderson will face O’Connor again in November for a full two-year term.

The tight race was a test of voter sentiment before November’s midterm elections, in which many models and experts are predicting a “blue wave” of Democratic wins.

Balderson’s victory buoys Republicans concerned about how Trump is playing in swing states, among which Ohio is generally counted.

But O’Connor was a long shot in a district that has been held by Republicans for nearly 35 years and his close miss follows a number of strong Democratic performances in Republican heartlands.

Kasich, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination against Trump in 2016, represented the district before Tiberi.