More From Cranley on Snagging Mallory

The only person Mayor Mark Mallory has publicly supported for City Council is John Cranley. That support comes in the form of an appearance in Cranley's one-minute TV ad.

Asked why he wanted the mayor in his commercial, Cranley said: "He's the mayor. Who wouldn't want him?"

He said they've had a good working relationship the past two years, with Cranley as chairman of the finance committee.

The ad focuses on Cranley's work with the Innocence Project, which puts University of Cincinnati students on cases of people believed to be wrongly convicted. The group freed Clarence Elkins in 2005 after he'd served time for the rape and murder of his mother-in-law. The Innocence Project used DNA to free Elkins. Another man now stands accused in the crimes.

Interesting that the ad doesn't focus on local crime or even a local case. Cranley said he hopes it "lets people have personal insight into my convictions about crime and justice" and that he's willing to try new things to fight crime.