Wulsin's official victory statement

Victoria Wulsin's campaign issued a formal victory statement around 12:30 a.m., about two hours after the candidate claimed the win to a gathering of supporters. (It quotes poll results from around that time, when 70 percent of precincts were in. With 98 percent of precincts in, vote totals are 54,540 for Wulsin and 27,244 for Black.) Here's what it says:

Dr. Victoria Wulsin declared victory tonight at 10:25, showing decisive majorities across all seven counties of the Second District. Minutes later, her opponent, Steve Black, called to concede.

With 70% of precincts reporting, Wulsin had won 38,665 votes to 31,927 for Schmidt. Wulsin’s margin over her nearest opponent was significantly wider – 17,652 to 11,498.

“The voters rejected the kind of negative tactics my opponent used, and they trust me to represent them,” said Wulsin. “The message is clear – the people of Southern Ohio want a representative who will put their families first.”

Wulsin quickly turned her attention to Schmidt, signaling a tough campaign to come. “Jean Schmidt has voted against the interests of this district time and again,” said Wulsin. “From health care for children to veterans issues, student loans and more, Jean Schmidt has stood with President Bush. The voters want a representative who will listen to them, and that’s what I’ll do."