On January 24, 2024, my 56th birthday, I began to receive calls from friends and neighbors concerning a “push poll” from Mark Hiner and/or his supporters that brutally attacks me and my family. Initially it was sent by text message. Apparently because they were not getting many responses, they soon turned to making live calls. They even called my 87-year-old Mother-in-Law.
Let me be clear. The allegations in this so-called poll are false, defamatory, and disgusting. In fact, it is very easy to verify their falsity.
I am calling upon the Knox County Republican Party to retract their endorsement of Mark Hiner for State Representative in House District 98. Mr. Hiner made both written and verbal promises not to engage in these sorts of sleazy tactics in exchange for their endorsement.
The push poll indicates that it is being sent by a “local organization”. I am very confident that the Knox County Republican Party has absolutely nothing to do with it, but Mr. Hiner and his supporters have certainly implied that it has.
Mr. Hiner denies having any knowledge of this poll. But he has not repudiated it, renounced it, called for it to cease, or done anything to indicate his opposition to these types of slimy actions.
We all know how this works. Mr. Hiner has gotten in bed with consultants and special interests that are engaging in this type of activity throughout Ohio. He believes that with a wink and a nod, he can deny his and his supporters’ involvement while he continues to besmirch my family and me. I can assure you that these types of tactics will likely result in swift and sure legal action.
Our candidates and our local Republican Party have never engaged in these sorts of sleazy, slimeball tactics before, and hopefully they will never do so again. However, their continued endorsement of Mark Hiner is also an endorsement of these very tactics.
I respectfully ask them to withdraw their endorsement and issue a NO ENDORSEMENT in this race. By doing so they will join the Coshocton County Republican Party, the Holmes County Republican Party, and the Ohio Republican Party in letting primary voters decide this race. Thank you.
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