CINCINNATI — Republican incumbent Joe Deters has been reelected Hamilton County prosecutor. Republican Deters garnered 53% of the vote to Democrat Fanon Rucker’s 47% with 99.47% of precincts reporting.
Deters, Hamilton County’s prosecutor since 2005 who also served from 1992-1999, has also served as Ohio state treasurer, Hamilton County clerk of courts and assistant prosecutor.
As a “tough-on-crime” prosecutor, Deters has tried thousands of cases in Hamilton County, including the high-profile Anthony Kirkland murder trial.
Deters is a St. Xavier High School and a University of Cincinnati College of Law graduate.
Rucker, born in Gary, Indiana, graduated University of Cincinnati College of Law and became a Cincinnati prosecutor. After 7 years as a prosecutor, Rucker entered private practice as a civil rights attorney.
Rucker was appointed to the Hamilton County Municipal Court in 2007 and presided over more than 200,000 cases, according to his campaign.
Among the pillars of Rucker’s campaign was bail reform, specifically promising to eliminate cash bail for nonviolent offenders. Rucker also aimed to create a Conviction Integrity Unit to review claims of innocence or misconduct of police or prosecutors, as well as a Reentry Court designed to reduce offenders’ habitual relapse into crime.
Rucker issued a statement thanking his supporters late Tuesday night.
"Thanks so much to everyone for their efforts so far in this historic campaign; it truly means the world to me," Rucker's statement read. "We will continue to advocate for the bold systemic change that Hamilton County deserves. I remain resolved and optimistic about the next few days and weeks. Let's do this together."
The prosecutor oversees a 180-person staff, making it one of the largest law firms in Cincinnati.
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