Live from the Petro 'victory' party

Greg Hartmann, Hamilton County's clerk of courts and the Republican nominee for secretary of state, played a card other candidates couldn't when he explained how he would be able to run and work hard for the job this fall:

"There's been talk here tonight of a challenging environment,'' he said. "Not so challenging, though, that my wife and I didn't decide to have our fifth child this summer.''

U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine also spoke at the Petro party, taking the podium behind a Jennette Bradley for state treasurer. He thanked supporters and his wife, Fran, whom he described as a mother of eight, grandmother of nine and survivor of 16 political campaigns.

"It's going to be a tough race,'' he said. "But we're going to run the same type of race we've always run.''

He said he will tell voters in all 88 counties that he is "someone for the last 11 years who has represented the mainstream of Ohio, who loves Ohio, who understands this state and what it needs.''

"This is a strong Republican ticket, from the top to the bottom. We're going to work together for a great race next November.''

-- Jane Prendergast