At the GOP election night HQ in Columbus

The ballroom at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus is eerily quiet. But then again, the party is just getting underway.

Doors opened to media at 1 p.m., and there are already more than 50 reporters, mostly TV crews and some photographers, set up on risers facing the party floor. If you're watching CNN, you can see their correspondent giving dispatches from the near-empty ballroom.

In the middle of the room, where you might expect to see a dance floor, there are about a half dozen tables with white tablecloths facing a large TV screen. To the right is a roped off area, presumably for candidates, though right now it's empty.

Doors just opened to the public at 7:30 p.m. But other than a stack of Betty Montgomery signs sitting in the corner, there's no sign of the candidates. All statewide candidates, including GOP Gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell and U.S. Sen. Mike DeWine are expected to attend the party here tonight, but it's unclear how soon they'll arrive.