The man who wants to stop Clyde Evans from a fifth term at the Statehouse has made a formal complaint with the Ohio Elections Commission about his opponent, this despite a public apology from Evans issued four days earlier.

On Tuesday, Representative David Daniels of 86th Ohio House District, filed an affidavit with the commission claiming Evans knew that statements made in a direct mail campaign ad about Daniels were false.

Both men are squaring off for the Republican primary May 4, for the Ohio Senate seat in the 17th District that takes in part of Lawrence County.

The ad in question states that Daniels “voted to let sex offenders live near elementary schools,” an accusation Daniels denies.

“The statements regarding my voting record are utterly false and are the exact opposite of my actual vote on this legislation, which I actually co-sponsored,” the affidavit states. “The foregoing statements were made by Respondent Clyde Evans with knowledge — or with reckless disregard — of their falsity. The foregoing statements were made by Evans during the course of a campaign with intent to affect the outcome of such campaign.”

However, in a statement to his constituents issued on Friday, Evans offered an apology.

“While the statement could be defended on the basis of Mr. Daniels’ initial vote to let sex offenders live near elementary schools for another 90 days, I would never have authorized that statement based solely upon that vote. I can’t ‘unring the bell’ on that particular mailing piece, but I pledge that all of my campaign statements and documents before that mailing were and remain accurate.”