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STEUBENVILLE -- Joel Walker was selected as Steubenville’s councilman at large while political newcomer Dave Albaugh scored a major victory in Steubenville’s First Ward race Tuesday, unseating incumbent Asantewa Anyabwile to claim his first term on City Council.
Also winning election was Ted Gorman, the Steubenville High School principal who was seeking his first term as Fifth Ward council representative. Gorman defeated another newcomer, Larry Gerber, to win the seat.
Unofficial tallies from the Jefferson County Board of Elections for the First Ward show Albaugh, the GOP nominee, winning by 70 votes, pulling 196 votes compared to 126 for Anyabwile. In the Fifth Ward, preliminary results show Gorman, who ran as an independent, pulling 313 votes to 134 for Gerber.
Walker, a former city police officer, defeated former Fourth Ward councilman and local businessman Scott Dressel 1,708 to 621 in unofficial results from the Jefferson County board of elections. Both candidates ran as write-ins. Walker will replace Kimberly Hahn on council in January. Hahn was not able to seek re-election because of term limits.
Albaugh, 58, said he’s “excited.”
“This election, I worked hard at it,” he said. “I went out and I knocked on doors, I talked to people, I put up the signs. I put myself out there to let (voters) know I’m here and who I am. I’m very happy and thankful to the people who voted and supported me.”
He said in his “walks and talks” in his ward residents made it clear “they want change, they want to see progress in the First Ward.”
“But it’s not just the First Ward, it’s the whole city,” he said. “(We need) economic growth. If we can get economic growth, it will stimulate the tax base, it will bring people and everything will flourish. I think we need to get together as council, a unified council, and make a plan ... things we want to see happen in the city because if the city flourishes, the wards will flourish.”
Gorman, 56, said he’s “looking forward” to filling the Fifth Ward seat being vacated by longtime councilman Willie Paul.
“I want to thank the residents of the Fifth Ward for voting for me,” he said. “I appreciate your support and I consider it a privilege to represent you on city council.”
He said his goal “is to move our city forward.”
“Council has to have members who want to work together to create a vision and set goals to move the city forward,” he said. “There has to be a plan. Stalling on important issues should not be the norm. I want to do what is necessary to take action for the greater good.”
As councilman, Gorman said he’ll make it a priority to “figure out the reason why our city is not moving forward at a pace that neighboring cities are moving forward.”
Gerber wished him well.
“I called Ted Gorman and congratulated him,” Gerber said. “Ted will do good things for Steubenville. He and I were pretty much on the same page as what we both wanted for the city. He will do a great job for the Fifth Ward as well as for the city of Steubenville.”
Heather Hoover was unopposed in her bid to retain her Third Ward seat. She had been appointed to the post earlier this year to replace Eric Timmons, who was elected as a Jefferson County commissioner.