YOUNGSTOWN — The incumbents were winning contested house races in Ohio’s 58th and the 59th House Districts.

Democrat Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan was cruising to a re-election victory in the 58th, leading Republican candidate David Simon. Hagan had 76.52 percent of the early vote compared to Simon’s 23.48 percent.

And in the 59th District, Democrat Chris Stanley had 46.77 percent of the early vote to 53.23 for incumbent Rep. Al Cutrona, a Republican, who had been named to replace Rep. Don Manning, who died earlier this year.

Lepore-Hagan said this campaign being conducted during a presidential election added a level of excitement. But having a campaign during a pandemic changed the way things were done from her previous elections.

“There were fewer opportunities to get with residents in public settings like we normally would have done,” she said. “We were doing a lot of Zoom meetings and fundraising calls.”

The pandemic has caused legislators to increase their emphasis on constituent services, she said.

“We have been helping people sign up for unemployment benefits, evictions, access to internet and obtaining food,” Lepore-Hagan said. “My district is poor, so the pandemic has hit it particularly hard.”

A vocal advocate for the elimination of House Bill 70, Lepore-Hagan is pleased that the Ohio House, Senate and the governor’s office have agreed state takeovers of local schools will not continue. But she expressed disappointment that the three districts that already under state control — East Cleveland, Lorain and Youngstown — will remain under direct state supervision.

Lepore-Hagan said she’ll continue to support education by working to stop private schools from siphoning money from public school districts.

For Simon this rematch had him working much more aggressively on social media communicating with residents. Simon worked the district, knocking on doors and making personal contact.

“I want to do the right thing,” he said. “I’m a businessman and I have worked hard for every dollar I’ve earned. I know how much a dollar is worth. I want to create an environment in which there is economic growth.”

Simon is the owner of Smart Environmental Engineering Consulting and Construction.

In the 2018 election, Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown won with 70.3 percent of the vote to 29.7 percent for Simon.

Both Stanley, 40, of Canfield and Cutrona, 31, sought the full term in the 59th district.

Cutrona could not be reached for comment.

Stanley, a Youngstown city school teacher, has been emphasizing the elimination of HB 70. The Canfield resident, was a first-time candidate.

The 59th District includes all of Beaver, Beloit, Berlin, Boardman, Canfield, Craig Beach, Ellsworth, Goshen, Green, Jackson, Milton, New Middletown, Poland, Sebring, Smith, Springfield and Washingtonville, along with a portion of Austintown. The job pays $63,007 annually.