By SCOTT STEPHENS
Religion News Service
CLEVELAND — Ohio’s scientists laid down their test tubes and flexed some political muscle Nov. 7 as four pro-evolution candidates they backed were on their way to capturing or retaining seats on the state Board of Education.
In the race that drew national attention, Tom Sawyer, a former Akron mayor and 16-year congressman, was beating incumbent Deborah Owens Fink nearly 2-to-1 for a board seat.
“I believe the state Board of Education should have a far stronger voice than it had,” Sawyer said Tuesday night.
State board races are nonpartisan, but Owens Fink fell victim to a strong Democratic turnout and an opponent who is a former teacher and state legislator who once was chairman of the Ohio House Education Committee.
“In reality, it’s a very, very Democratic area and a tough place to be a Republican,” she said.
