Councilman wins election on coin flip

PEPPER PIKE, Ohio (AP) -- Some people in this Cleveland suburb believe a city councilman's political stock tumbled along with Gov. Bob Taft's plunge in popularity.
The councilman, Fred Taft, is a second cousin of the governor.
He had won two elections by comfortable margins. But it took a coin flip Wednesday at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to settle a tie in the Nov. 8 voting and give him another term.
Pepper Pike Mayor Bruce Akers, a Fred Taft friend and political ally, said the councilman's support may have eroded because of his family ties to the governor.
Councilman Taft said he's not sure why his popularity declined but doubts it's because of the governor.
The official canvass found Taft and his opponent, lawyer Richard Bain, deadlocked at 1,124 votes each. Taft's victory is conditioned on a recount scheduled for next week.