Dems’ takeover of 4 offices chosen Ohio’s top story

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Democrats wresting 16 years of control over the governor's mansion from the GOP and gaining three other statewide offices topped the list of the state's most noteworthy stories of 2007, beating out the bus crash that killed several university baseball players.

The takeover by Democrats of the governor's mansion as well as the attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer posts in January also trumped the sentencing of U.S. Rep. Bob Ney for his role in a congressional bribery scandal, which was ranked third by Ohio Associated Press newspaper editors and broadcasters.

After Gov. Ted Strickland and his fellow party members took their seats, the only statewide post left to the GOP was the auditor's office.

Voters angry over national and statewide corruption scandals, including former Gov. Bob Taft's no contest plea to ethics violations, had put the Democrats in office and took seven House seats and one Senate seat from the Republicans.

Strickland, 65, defeated fiscally and morally conservative Republican Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, who gained national attention for his handling of the 2004 election that clinched President Bush's victory that year.

For complete story, see Monday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.