050526...R ELEX 3...Warren...05-05-26...Michael Hovis, Trumbull Co. Commissioner candidate, center, talks with supporters Emily, left, and John Weston of Cortland as primary result were being tallied...by R. Michael Semple

WARREN — Michael Hovis’ campaign to win the Republican primary for the lone Trumbull County Commissioner seat in this election was surprisingly easy over incumbent first-term Commissioner Denny Malloy.

Hovis received 53% of the vote during Tuesday’s election. Malloy received 47%, according to final and unofficial results from the Trumbull County Board of Elections. After votes were tallied, Hovis briefly talked about the primary campaign, but is quickly veering to November’s general election where he will face Kristen F. Rock, who ran unopposed on the Democratic side.

Rock announced her candidacy in February, saying she served on the Liberty zoning board for six years, the Liberty Local School’s oversight commission for two years, Lake Milton’s Utilities Commission for nearly three years and has served as a volunteer on the Junior League of Mahoning Valley since 2003.

Although the commissioners office is now filled with three Republicans, Hovis will not take winning the primary as a virtual guarantee that he’ll win the general election.

“I will take about two weeks off and then begin taking on the Democrat, who did not have a challenger,” Hovis said.

Malloy said this election was different from his previous two elections for the commissioners office — one that he lost and the second he won.

“This is different,” Malloy said. “Running against someone who supposedly is from your own party, which I don’t believe he is. He has his own agenda. He’s not a Trumper. He did not embrace any of the ideals of the national party.”

Hovis described spending much of this primary campaign knocking on doors and telling people who he is.

The Bazetta Township trustee has won two local elections to represent the township. He recently received the highest vote count in his most recent township election.

“This race represents a bigger area,” he said. “I will have to put in a lot of work.”

Hovis said his decision to run to become the next county commissioner was based on many people during his last trustee’s race asking him why he had not run for higher office.

“I was asked to run (for commissioner) four years ago,” Hovis said.

Hovis said it was important to tell people about his life story, including him being a police officer and a military veteran.

“That checked a lot of boxes for some voters,” he said.