Published: November 05, 2008 03:39 pm      

STATEHOUSE WRAP: Oxley takes son’s former seat

Goodin nearly doubles-up opponent to keep post

Democrat Dennie Oxley Sr. won the seat his son vacated to run for lieutenant governor on Tuesday night.

The Taswell resident garnered 14,391 votes, or 58 percent, to Republican challenger Steve Davisson’s 10,320, or 42 percent, for State Representative District 73. The school teacher will take the post held by Dennie Oxley Jr., before he decided to join the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign of Jill Long Thompson.

District 73 covers a large area in Southern Indiana, including far northwestern Clark County.



In other races

• Democrat incumbent Terry Goodin held onto his District 66 seat. Goodin, a school administrator from Crothersville, received 16,827 votes, or 66 percent, to 8,727 for Republican Jack Gillespie. District 66 covers much of northeastern Clark County.

• Veteran state Rep. Paul J. Robertson, a Republican, held on to his District 70 seat with a victory over Sellersburg’s Tim Hunt, a Democrat. Robertson took 18,843 votes, or 58 percent, to Hunt’s 13,501, or 42 percent. Robertson has held the seat since 1978. District 70 includes most of Harrison County, a small section of western Floyd County and the western half of Clark County.

• Another veteran state representative, Democrat Bill Cochran, of New Albany, lost his seat Tuesday. Cochran, who spent 34 years in office, lost by a 14,980 to 14,866 margin to Republican Ed Clere. District 72 covers much of Floyd county and one precinct in Clark County.

• Democrat Steven Stemler, representing Jeffersonville and southeastern Clark County, won re-election, running unopposed.

— Evening News Editor Shea Van Hoy