Vitale outpaced a crowded field of Republicans, including Justin G. Griffis and Joseph Ratermann, both of Sidney; and Rochiel V. Foulk of Urbana.
Vitale has received 8,747 votes, or 71 percent, compared to 1,350 votes for Griffis, 1,233 for Ratermann and 1,074 for Foulk.
Vitale will face off in November against Democrat Garrett Baldwin of Mechanicsburg, who ran unopposed.
Vitale hopes to win in November and begin a third term in the House. In an interview Tuesday night, he emphasized his support for Larry Householder, R-Glenford, for speaker of the House.
“We have to stop the cronyism, the FBI investigations and one or two mega-donors controlling the statehouse,” said Vitale, referring to an ongoing federal investigation that led Cliff Rosenberger to step down as Ohio house speaker.
Other than that, “I’m all about families and gun rights and protecting our paychecks,” he said. “That’s what I stand for.”
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