When Pat Lang, the last Democratic candidate to arrive, finally walked up the steps at The Blue Gator after winning yesterday's law director race, he was greeted with a bevy of cheers from local supporters.
Lang, who defeated Republican incumbent Garry Hunter 1,784 votes to 903 votes, said the loud applause was representative of his campaign's great dedication. Volunteers were out this week in the wind and rain trying to get every last vote, he said.But that wind was nothing compared to the other wind that went through Athens today
he said, and that was the wind of change.
Lang, who has served as an assistant county prosecutor for the last three years, largely based his campaign around his opponent's multiple roles as Nelsonville's city solicitor, a private practice attorney and a landlord. Those roles, Lang said previously, created at least the appearance of a conflict of interest.
But last night, Lang thanked Hunter for his time in office.
At the end of the day he served the city of Athens for 30 years he told the crowd.
Hunter, who has been law director since 1977, did not return calls seeking comment.
Lang also said he was thankful for the student involvement in his campaign. Lang did well in student-populated areas like the 1st ward, said Nick Budich, a student volunteer for the Lang campaign. Budich ran unsuccessfully for the 1st ward seat on Athens City Council in the May primaries.
That success is not easy to come by when the race is for an office many students don't even know exists, said Rob Dorans, president of Ohio University College Democrats. The effort included numerous students, many of whom were freshmen that began working on Lang's campaign during their first few days on campus, he said.
It's very difficult one
just to get students to hear about the race
and two
let them know how the office affects them
Dorans said. But once they hear how they're affected
they're really interested.
Campaigning now goes to the wayside as Lang prepares to take office in January.
We're going to have a law director who is dedicated to the city of Athens
and I think the citizens deserve that
Lang said.
As law director, Lang will earn about $55,000 a year for the 30 hours per week position.
