YOUNGSTOWN — John Boccieri, a former congressman and state legislator, won the three-person Democratic primary for the 58th Ohio House District seat, getting nearly two-thirds of the total vote.

Boccieri, of Poland, received 64% of the vote to 25% for Jordan Pegues of Austintown, a senior quotations specialist for Wesco Distributions, and 11% for Basia Adamczak, a former Youngstown City Council 7th Ward member, according to unofficial but final results Tuesday from the Mahoning County Board of Elections.

Boccieri said: “I am completely humbled to have the nomination from the voters in the 58th District. I want to thank my two opponents for running an issues-focused race. It’s tough to put your name on the ballot. My hat’s off to them. The real election begins now.”

With state Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, choosing not to seek reelection to the state House seat this year, the seat is open starting Jan. 1. McNally, who is serving her second term in the state House, is the Democratic nominee for county commissioner.

Of the three Democrats, Boccieri was the most politically experienced, as well as the best funded.

Boccieri served nine years in the state House, two years in the state Senate and two year in the U.S. House.

Boccieri will run in the Nov. 3 general election against Republican Heather Fronk of Poland, founder of Clothed In Strength.

Boccieri said: “We’ve seen the state slide under Republican rule. There’s a lot of work to do. I want to run a positive and spirited campaign. I’ve worked well with those across the aisle when I was in the deep minority of the Legislature. I ran because I want people to believe and trust their institutions and to show that government can work for everybody.”

The district includes Youngstown, Austintown, Poland, Lowellville, Jackson, Milton, Craig Beach and Coitsville.

The 58th District favors Democrats by more than 21% based on partisan statewide voting results.

This was the only contested primary Tuesday for a state legislative seat in the Mahoning Valley.

Before the primary, Boccieri said he his years of political experience made him the strongest candidate to represent the district in the Ohio House.

Boccieri said: “This is not a time for training wheels. This is not a time for learning on the job. There are some significant policy issues that are in front of us, issues that have lingered for decades, frankly, where the state Legislature has chosen not to represent the people’s wishes. We need meaningful tax reform. There are big policy issues in front of us and this is not a time for learning on the job.”

Boccieri is a United Airlines pilot and has spent the past 32 years as a member of the Air Force, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard, currently working part-time at the Pentagon. Boccieri said he is planning to retire from the Air Force shortly.

Boccieri said his top priorities are affordability, property tax reform and urban renewal.