What's next for Schmidt and McEwen?

For Rep. Jean Schmidt, who eked out a primary victory against challenger Bob McEwen last night, what's next is a full week of legislative activity in Washington.

Today's U.S. House schedule started with a debate over two energy/gas price bills, one that deals with price gouging and the other that deals with refinery capacity. This evening, the House plans to vote on the lobby reform bill.

Then this weekend, Schmidt is running in Cincinnati's Flying Pig Marathon.

"I'm taking the weekend off," Schmidt said last night.

More Schmidt comments...

About the negative direction the campaign took in its final days: "I certainly didn't want it to go in that direction. ... My opponent was lobbing negative attacks against me and at some point, you have to respond."

About McEwen, a longtime friend turned opponent: "I wish him well."

About whether she has any regrets on her primary, Schmidt said: "No."

About her race against Democrat Victoria Wulsin this fall: "I'll be just fine."

McEwen, on the other hand didn't immediately know what his week and weekend plans were. After losing his fourth attempt at a comeback to the U.S. House, the former southern Ohio congressman also was unsure if he'd run again.

"I cannot see the circumstances by which I would run again," he said last night.

Meanwhile, his wife, Liz, wasn't as forgiving on the negative ads: "It hurts me when people say things about my husband that are absolutely not true," she told supporters after her husband's concession speech.