For women only

First it was Democrats Eve Bolton and Wendell Young teaming up on campaign ads; now the Democrats have another "slate within a slate'' in the council race - this one aiming directly at women voters.

Incumbent Laketa Cole and challenger Samantha Herd have teamed up on a postcard-szed piece of campaign literature that went out Monday to 10,000 women voters in Cincinnati. But not just any women voters - only those who have no male registered voter in their households were targeted.

It is probably a shrewd move, particularly for Herd, who is well known in Democratic party circles and in city hall as the former council aide to Tyrone Yates, but who does not have great name recognition among the public at-large.

There are only five women among the 31 candidates for Cincinnati City Council this year. As one of the five, Herd's direct pitch to women voters makes a lot of sense.

When Yates moved on from council and was elected to the Ohio House, Herd went with him, serving as his chief aide in Columbus.

Now, in addition to getting a boost from Cole, Herd is getting a some help from her boss as well, particularly among black voters. Yates has cut a 60-second radio commercial for his legislative aide that will run on black radio stations.

Yates is also featured prominently on an earlier Herd mail piece. Yates, a student of American history in general and the presidency in particular, says that "like Grover Cleveland, she lives daily by the standard that 'public office is a public trust.'''

We can't swear to it, but we are reasonably certain that was the first time the name of Grover Cleveland (left) had been invoked in a Cincinnati City Council race since at least the late 19th century.