CELINA — The campaign by Celina’s Keith Faber to become Ohio’s next auditor proved to be a winning one.

Faber, a former state Senate president and current state representative, appeared to be heading to a win in a three-way race to Democrat Zack Space.

“Thank you, Ohio,” Faber said via his Twitter feed. “I am honored to be your next Auditor of State!”

Faber was part of a wave of Republicans down the ticket pulling out apparent wins. He was joined by fellow Republicans Robert Sprague (treasurer), Frank LaRose (secretary of state) and Dave Yost (attorney general).

With 100 percent of precincts counted statewide, Faber held 50.4 percent of the votes, ahead of Space’s 45.6 percent and Libertarian Robert C. Coogan’s 4 percent.

Faber found strong support in the region, getting 82 percent of the votes in his home Mercer County, 81 percent in Putnam County, 80 percent in Auglaize County and 69 percent in Allen County. In Shelby County, Faber received 14,379 votes to Space’s 3,255 votes. In Auglaize County, Faber received 15,080 votes to Space’s 3,150 votes. In Darke County, Faber received 15,502, while Space received 3,250 votes.

In a statement issued after the election, Faber commended his opponent in the race.

“Thank you to Zack Space for a race well run. Zack is a good man who ran a tough campaign during a difficult family time,” said Faber. “This campaign began almost two years ago. And it began with the promise that we could make state government more efficient, effective, and transparent. Our campaign worked very hard for tonight’s result and its time we move forward to continue making Ohio the best place to live, work, and raise a family. As your next Auditor of state, I will fight every day to make sure your government is working for you! Thank you to my family, my team, and everyone that voted for me. I’m looking forward to continue serving Ohio. God Bless.”

Space released a statement Tuesday night in response to the results of the 2018 general election.

“I announced my campaign for Auditor of State 16 months ago because I believed then — as I still do —- that Ohio’s political system has been corrupted by the influences of money and political greed. Our campaign influenced thousands of Ohioans, and moved the needle in the direction of progress and honesty. But ultimately, we came up short. I’ll never forget the fantastic memories and new friends made on this journey, and I can’t begin to express all the thanks that our supporters deserve.

“I have offered my congratulations to Auditor of State-elect Keith Faber, and I wish nothing but success for his administration. I also urged Mr. Faber to adhere to the highest standards of integrity in his time as Auditor. Ohioans deserve nothing less.

“What matters more than my candidacy, and more than this particular election, is the awakening of millions of Ohioans to the systemic problems with our democratic society. I couldn’t be prouder of the sincerity of our message, or of our healthy engagement with people in every corner of Ohio. We left no community behind, and we never strayed from the values that we preached. I hope our efforts will serve as an example to all future candidates of what can be accomplished with the right mix of positive intention, humility, and resilience.

“As we progress into the uncertain future, let us remember that while none alone bear responsibility to address the issues we face, neither are we free to desist from the process. We move forward in this spirit.”

Sprague, of Findlay, also performed well in the region on his way to winning state treasurer. He had 54 percent of the votes statewide, the largest amount for a state officeholder, compared to Rob Richardson’s 46 percent.

“I’m ready to get started implementing the innovative financial solutions I talked about on the campaign trail so that together, we can create a smarter, stronger and safer future for our families,” Sprague said in a press release.

Sprague had 81 percent of the votes in Putnam County, 80 percent in Auglaize County, 69 percent in Allen County and 80 percent in Shelby County. He won 74 percent of the votes in his native Hancock County. Auglaize County voters picked Sprague with 14,918 votes to Richardson’s 3,611 votes. In Shelby County, Sprague received 14,375 votes to Richardson’s 3,640 votes. Sprague received 15,061 votes in Darke County to Richardson’s 3,910 votes.

For attorney general, Dave Yost earned a promotion from state auditor by getting 53 percent of the votes, topping Steve Dettelbach’s 47 percent. In Shelby County, Yost received $14,368 votes to Dettelbach’s 3,751 votes. In Auglaize County, Yost received 14,998 votes to Dettelbach’s 3,741 votes. In Darke County, Yost garnered 15,069, while Dettelbach received 3,906 votes.

In the secretary of state race, Frank LaRose had 51 percent of the votes, compared to Democrat Kathleen Clyde’s 46 percent. In Shelby County, LaRose received 14,035 votes to Clyde’s 3,678votes. LaRose was also the top vote-getter in Auglaize County with 14,662 votes to Clyde’s 3,596 votes. In Darke County, LaRose received 14,746 votes to Clude’s 3,856 votes.

In the Supreme Court races, a pair of Democrats picked up victories. Melody J. Stewart beat the incumbent, Mary DeGenaro, 52 percent to 48 percent in the other race. Michael P. Donnelly topped Republican Craig Baldwin, 61 percent to 39 percent.

In Darke County, Donnelly won the county with 8,401 votes while Baldwin received 6,754 votes. DeGenaro received 8,350 votes to Stewart’s 6,554 votes.

In Auglaize County, Donnelly received 7,109 votes to Baldwin’s 7,200 votes. DeGenaro received 8,704 votes to Stewart’s 6,450 votes.

In Shelby County, Donnelly received 8,844 votes, while Baldwin received 6,405 votes. DeGenaro received 8,115 votes while Stewart received 6,921 votes.