Last month, we reported that
anti-CCW forces had decided to make Trakas' support for Concealed Carry Reform a linch pin in their campaign to unseat him.

Trakas, of Independence, was hammered on television by Democratic opponent Blair Melling in the 17th District. Melling, a Solon lawyer, blasted Trakas for supporting a concealed-weapons law. Trakas endured weeks of televised attack ads portraying his pro-Concealed Carry Reform stance as a wild-wild West-style position.

Trakas watched as a highly-publicized election eve anti-Trakas rally, sponsored by the Ohio contingent of the Million Mom March, was held in the park he named when a City Councilman. And he smiled, as pro-CCW counter-protesters, many representing OFCC PAC, outnumbered the so-called Million Mom's by 2 to 1.

So how did the "Mom attack" fare at the polls? Trakas soared to a convincing victory, taking votes nearly 2 to 1.

If it was a referendum they wanted, it was a referendum they got. Being anti-CCW didn't bring the votes for Trakas' opponent, nor did it for Linda Reidelbach's opponent in Columbus, where Reidelbach endured similar attacks.

Read the entire story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.