By Erica Solvig and Janice Morse
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LEBANON - Unless an independent candidate surfaces, Tuesday's primary will determine which Republicans will hold Warren County offices for the next four years.

ELECTION SECTION

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The county's most crowded ballot - with four GOP candidates - is for the commissioner seat Larry Crisenbery is vacating, the first time since 1992 there has not been an incumbent in the race. But the county's most contentious race, and the only other contested countywide primary, has been between Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel and her challenger, Blue Ash Municipal Prosecutor David Fornshell.

Among county commissioner candidates, the buzzword has been managed growth.

John Lazares of Maineville, who will be retiring as superintendent of the Warren County Educational Service Center, said he doesn't oppose growth, but wants to see it better managed. He is in favor of impact fees on new homes.

"People moved here because of the schools," he said. "But (the growth) reaches a peak when people can no longer pay for the schools."

John McCurley, a longtime Mason councilman and former mayor, wants to see the county take a clear leadership role in planning for growth. The 3M employee has said the county should invest more in its economic development, and look at developing a high-tech corridor.

Deerfield Township businessman Dave Young also advocates bringing high tech or biotech business here and wants to develop a countywide land-use plan.

"It's haphazard growth here and there," said the president and founder of MBA Financial Group. "If we put out the right message, businesses will want to come here."

Lebanon farmer Tom Spellmire also wants to see a land-use plan, and get input from each community on how to preserve rural areas.

"Open space should be not be an afterthought," he said.

Hutzel v. Fornshell

The prosecutor primary comes just a year after the Republican Party narrowly chose Hutzel over Fornshell to replace Tim Oliver, who was appointed to the Warren County Domestic Relations bench.

Both candidates on Wednesday said they were gearing up for their last big push of the intense race.

Fornshell's literature characterizes the election as the first time in two decades in which "voters will have a choice as to who will become their next county prosecutor."

He thinks his experience as a civil attorney and a municipal prosecutor in Blue Ash since 1999 has prepared him to take the reins.

But Hutzel said, "I have 11 years of experience in the prosecutor's office - and that speaks for itself."

The Ohio Elections Commission ruled that some of Fornshell's campaign materials improperly implied that he was the incumbent. But Fornshell said he didn't think that ruling hurt him with voters. He said most people he spoke to "just view it as being a political stunt."

But Hutzel, whose supporters lodged the complaint, said, "The Ohio Elections Commission complaint was not a stunt. He's supposed to follow the law. That's all I asked him to do."

While Hutzel said she didn't want to offer predictions about the election outcome, Fornshell said, "I truly believe this is going to be a close race. It's just a matter of whose supporters get out on Election Day."

Fornshell offered this tally to sum up his door-to-door effort: "7,000 doors, three pairs of shoes and 20 pounds."

Hutzel on Wednesday announced that she has the support of prosecutors holding office in Adams, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton and Greene counties - and also secured the endorsement of Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery, former state attorney general.

Meanwhile, Fornshell's supporters include Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, the Ohio Taxpayers Association and Ohio Right to Life.

For more information on both candidates, see their Web sites: www.rachelhutzel.com and www.davidfornshell.com.

E-mail esolvig@enquirer.com and jmorse@enquirer.com