YOUNGSTOWN — Longtime Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul Gains held 63 percent of the vote with 37 of the county’s 212 precincts reporting Tuesday night.

With more results coming in to the county elections board, Gains, a Democrat, said he didn’t believe his opponent, Marty Desmond, 46, could make up the gap.

Gains and many other county Democratic candidates and their supporters gathered Tuesday in the spacious hall at St. Luke Church in Boardman to see how the election would unfold.

“I want to thank all of the people who supported me and assisted me and of course voted for me,” Gains said. He said he will continue to do good work as the county prosecutor.

Desmond could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

Gains, 69, of Youngstown took office as prosecutor in 1997, after an intruder working for mobster Lennie Strollo broke into Gains’ house on Christmas Eve 1996 and shot him in an attempt to keep him from taking office. Gains has held the prosecutor position ever since.

Gains has also worked as a defense attorney, Youngstown police officer and a steelworker.

His race against Republican challenger Desmond, 46, of Poland was mounted amid disputes and ongoing litigation.

Desmond, 46, of Poland has been working as a private-practice attorney for the last 3 1/2 years and before that served as an assistant prosecutor under Gains for 13 years, until Gains fired him in 2017. Gains alleged Desmond had falsely claimed an ethical violation by another assistant prosecutor.

Desmond appealed the termination to the State Personnel Board of Review and sued Gains for defamation. Both cases are pending.

Desmond could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.