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PARMA, Ohio -- State Rep. Nicholas J. Celebrezze, a Democrat, and Republican Patty Gascoyne-Telischak are vying again for the Ohio House seat in District 15, which covers Parma, Brooklyn Heights, Cuyahoga Heights and a portion of southwest Cleveland.

Celebrezzedefeated Gascoyne-Telischak in 2012 to retain the seat he was appointed to earlier that year to replace Tim DeGeeter, now the mayor of Parma.

Celebrezze, a former Cuyahoga County assistant prosecutor and adult probation officer, is a partner with the Cleveland-based firm of Calo & Celebrezze. He served on the Parma City Council from 2005-11.

The Celebrezze name has been a staple on Ohio ballots. His father, James Celebrezze, was elected as an Ohio Supreme Court Justice. His grandfather served as a Cleveland safety director in the 1940s and later as a municipal judge.

His opponent, Gascoyne-Telischak, is a mother of six children, three of whom are in the military. She homeschooled her children until they reached the third grade. Since 2012, she's worked for Fireside Chimney Cleaning.

The Parma residents spoke Tuesday with Northeast Ohio Media Group. Here are some highlights:

Why they're running

As a state representative, Celebrezze serves on the transportation, state and local government and judiciary committees. He was also asked by the Ohio attorney general to serve on the Foster Care Advisory Review Group, which helped push legislation to enhance child safety and welfare.

He said he's running for reelection because his work isn't finished.

"I think I've done a very, very good job of holding the seat, being open to my constituents, moving along legislation in the House, which is sometimes very difficult to do as a Democratic member," Celebrezze said. "I've been able to do the hardest job, which is to balance the needs of the district as well as the needs of all Ohioans."

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Democrat state Rep. Nicholas J. Celebrezze and Republican Patty Gascoyne-Telischak compete in the Ohio House District 15

Criminal charges were not enough to stop a city Democrat from re-claiming his state Senate seat Tuesday.

Brooklyn Sen. John Sampson, a former Democratic majority leader, easily defeated three challengers in the Democratic primary despite a looming trial on federal embezzlement charges.

"We had the governor, the mayor and some of my colleagues in the Assembly who didn't want to see this happen, a jubilant Sampson told supporters at the Thomas Jefferson political club in Canarsie. Prosperity breeds friends, adversity proves it. It is going to be a different John Sampson."

Mayor de Blasio and Gov. Cuomo had endorsed Dell Smitherman, a former political coordinator for the powerful health care workers union 1199 SEIU, in the race.

Because the district is heavily Democrat, Sampsons victory means hes likely headed toward an easy re-election in November.

While Sampson survived, another city Democrat facing federal charges, Queens Sen. Malcolm Smith, wasnt as lucky. Smith, who has pleaded not guilty to bribery charges, was trounced by former City Councilman Leroy Comrie.

"This win is a huge triumph and now I am looking forward to getting to work, Comrie said in a statement.

Sampson and Smith were two of three senators under indictment who faced primaries. The third, Deputy GOP leader Thomas Libous of Binghamton, cruised to victory over a little-known Republican challenger.

In another closely watched race upstate, Buffalo Sen. Mark Grisanti one of four Republican senators to vote for legalizing gay marriage in 2011 lost to conservative attorney Kevin Stocker. Grisanti was the last of the four Republicans to still hold office.

Meanwhile, Senate co-leader Jeffrey Klein turned back the challenge of former Councilman Oliver Koppell, who hoped to capitalize on lingering Democratic resentment over Kleins past alliances with Senate Republicans.

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City Dem facing criminal charges wins re-election

Senator Arnie Roblan Democrat - District 5 - Coos Bay
Senator Roblan #39;s commitment to his community long precedes his election to public office. He is a founding boardmember of Friends of New and Sustainable Indu...

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Senator Arnie Roblan Democrat - District 5 - Coos Bay - Video

Wyoming Democrat Richard Grayson: Alan Simpson Is a Stupid Person #39;s Idea of a Smart Person
Wyoming Democrat Richard Grayson: Alan Simpson Is a Stupid Person #39;s Idea of a Smart Person.

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Wyoming Democrat Richard Grayson: Alan Simpson Is a Stupid Person's Idea of a Smart Person - Video

A week after he bowed out of Kansas' Senate race, Democrat Chad Taylor on Tuesday filed a petition with the state's Supreme Court to have his name removed from the November ballot.

Taylor filed the petition naming Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach as the defendant. Kobach, a Republican, is the state's top elections official and has refused to take Taylors name off the ballot even though he ended his campaign.

With little funding and statewide popularity, Taylor, a district attorney from the Topeka area, exited the race to elevateindependentGreg Orman, a self-funded management consultant who can wage a much more formidablechallenge againstincumbent Republican Sen. Pat Roberts.

Democrats have assailed Kobach as playing partisan politics by keeping Taylor's name on the ballot.

Pedro Irigonegaray, who is representing Taylor, said Tuesday he's also asked the state Supreme Court to issue a temporary restrainingorder on Kobach that denies him from printing and mailing ballots. Ballots are set to be sent to overseas voters early next month.

"There's no hearing set, but timing is of the essence," Irigonegaray said.

Roberts is widely viewed as vulnerable ascriticism has mounted that the third-term incumbent has become out of touch with voters, particularly after the New York Times reported he no longer owns a home in the state, but instead rents a room from a friend.

As Republicans look to net six seats and possibly gain control of the Senate after the November midterm election, they're forced to play defense to keep Roberts in office. Moreover, Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, who has been widely criticizedfortax cuts that have badly strained state finances, also faces a tough reelection in a down ticket race that could have implications on the Senate contest.

JoanWagnon, Kansas' Democratic Party chairwoman, said in a statement Tuesday the party will watch closely as this legal challenge proceeds through the courts.

Follow @kurtisaleeand emailkurtis.lee@latimes.com.

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Kansas Democrat Chad Taylor asks court to remove his name from ballot