Koch declares victory in close Allegan prosecutor race

ALLEGAN COUNTY — In a primary race that remained too close to call late Tuesday, Allegan County Prosecutor Myrene Koch appears to have defeated private practice attorney Michael Villar by 17 votes, according to unofficial tallies reported by the Allegan County Clerk’s Office Wednesday, Aug. 5.

Unofficial results show Koch earning 8,864 votes and Villar with 8,847 votes.

Tuesday’s Republican primary was the second time Koch defended her job as prosecutor against Villar, who first challenged her in the Republican primary in 2018.

Koch was appointed prosecutor in 2018 when then-prosecutor Roberts Kengis was appointed to an Allegan County judgeship. She defeated Villar in a primary that August, securing the rest of Kengis’s remaining term.

Koch told The Sentinel she did not expect the results to change during the certification process and she was declaring victory in the race.

Villar told The Sentinel he would wait to make a decision about conceding the race until the results are certified by the board of canvassers.

“I would like to thank the voters who took the time to research the issues and vote for me,” Koch said Wednesday. “I think their votes for me were a rejection of the negativity of my opponent.”

During the run-up to the Aug. 4 primary, Koch had to defend herself against multiple accusations about her conduct as prosecutor from Villar, ranging from improper communication with an Allegan County judge to overcharging felonies and overcrowding in the Allegan County Jail.

Koch has responded to the allegations by saying she only charges cases brought to her from law enforcement, and increases in incidents involving methamphetamine and domestic violence in the county account for the higher numbers of felonies charged by her office.

“I think campaigns can be difficult when they aren't focused on what each candidate can do for each office, when it’s focused on issues that don’t need to be there,” Koch said.

“This campaign turned very quickly for quite a long time into mudslinging. I tried my best to remain positive throughout the campaign. The citizens of Allegan County deserve better than mudslinging.”

Koch pitched herself as a defender of victims, victims’ families and the safety and security of Allegan County residents.

Wednesday, the prosecutor said she’s looking forward to renewing efforts to combat methamphetamine addiction in Allegan County and improving victim services in her next term in office.

Koch had the support of many local law enforcement leaders in her re-election, including Allegan County Sheriff Frank Baker, as well as area county prosecutors, including Ottawa County Prosecutor Ron Frantz.

Villar ran on a platform of ending what he claimed was corruption in the Allegan County justice system. If elected, he said he would institute practices that would save the county’s court system time and money.

Days before the election, Koch filed a complaint with the Michigan Elections Bureau alleging campaign finance violations in Villar’s campaign disclosures.

Villar has said he’s working out any issues with his initial campaign finance filings with state and local election authorities.

— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens.