Timothy J. Ryan, 28, of Niles won the nomination by nearly 10,000 votes, beating eight-year Congressman Thomas C. Sawyer, 56, of Akron and four other candidates.

Ryan, who has been a state senator for about 16 months, had emphasized throughout his campaign that it was time for change and that his youth was an advantage when it comes to fresh ideas for the Mahoning Valley.

In the fall general election, Ryan will face Republican Ann Womer Benjamin, who ran unopposed for the nomination Tuesday, and the man who now tenuously holds the 17th District seat, Rep. James A. Traficant. Ryan was a former aide to Traficant.

The Democrat congressman was convicted of bribery last month but filed papers Tuesday to run as an independent. Labor leader Warren Davis, of Niles also is running as an independent.

Sawyer, 56, blamed his defeat on the new political reality of the district, which stretches from Akron to Brookfield and Poland to Ashtabula.

"The geography of this district was really wired for a hometown boy," Sawyer said in his concession speech.

Youngstown State University political science professor William Binning called Ryan's victory "a surprising, perhaps stunning upset. This young kid had very little money, but he's a talented, gifted kid."

Sawyer's district and Traficant's old Youngstown district were merged by the Republican-controlled Legislature in January as Ohio lost a congressional seat in the redistricting that follows every census.

Ryan had 28,646 votes, or 41 percent, while Sawyer tallied 19,098, or 28 percent, according to unofficial results compiled by The Associated Press. State Rep. Anthony A. Latell, Jr., 64, of Girard came in third in the race, followed by Maridee Costanzo, Joe Louis Teague, and Bryan K. Taafe.

Political observers said Sawyer's support of the North American Free Trade Agreement could have hurt him in the blue-collar 17th District, whose voters blame NAFTA for job losses. Ryan got many local union endorsements, while Sawyer was favored by national unions.