Schmidt to miss her campaign party

Enquirer Washington Bureau reporter Malia Rulon reports:

It's still up in the air whether Rep. Jean Schmidt's campaign will be holding a victory party next week on election night - or a defeat party. She faces a difficult challenge in the May 2 GOP
primary from Bob McEwen, a former congressman from southern Ohio.

But one thing's already clear - Schmidt will miss either one.

That's because the Congress is scheduled to return to session on Tuesday, the same day as the primary. Actually, the House is out most of the day and only plans to meet at 6:30 p.m. for a series of non-controversial votes that should take about an hour.

Still, Schmidt plans to be there.

"She is a sitting member of Congress and she owes it to her constituents to go and vote," said Schmidt chief of staff Barry Bennett.

So Schmidt, who spends her weekends at home in Miami Township, plans to be up Tuesday morning before daybreak to get in her morning run - she's training for Cincinnati's Flying Pig marathon May 7 - and be the first person to cast her ballot at her Clermont County precinct at 6:30 a.m.

She'll then spend several hours greeting poll workers, attend Mass and do TV interviews at the airport before flying to Washington around 3 p.m.

Bennett said Schmidt plans to monitor the election results in between votes from her Washington office. She'll head over to the Republican National Committee office to talk to supporters once results are in via a satellite transmission to her campaign party at the Clermont County Republican Party offices.

Now the only thing we don't know is whether it'll be a victory speech - or a concession speech.