Democrats picked up several open seats in the House but were unable - despite predictions by both parties - to take any bite out of the GOP's strong majority. Democrats actually lost ground to the Republicans in the House. The GOP will dominate the House by 62-37. The margin now is 59-40.

And by gaining one seat in the Senate, Republicans secured an important procedural advantage: the two-thirds majority. With it, Republicans voting in concert could waive rules that require three days for a bill to be approved, as well as enact emergency clauses without Democratic support.

OFCC PAC Commentary:
The veto-proof pro-CCW majority in the Ohio House has been increased, as has the pro-CCW majority in the Senate. Eight pro-CCW House Democrats, supported by the OFCC PAC, were elected (perhaps the traditionally anti-CCW Democrat party will take note)!

Click on "Read More..." below for more details.

Republican Tom Patton, an OFCC PAC-endorsee from Strongsville, won a battle to succeed the retiring Sullivan in the 18th, marking the first time a Republican has represented this area in many, many years.

OFCC PAC-supported Republican State Sens. Kevin Coughlin in the 27th District and Jeff Armbruster in the 13th, both of whom pulled out victories after see-saw battles against upset-minded Democrats, climaxing campaigns that experts said sank to low-water marks in negative advertising.

"They [Democrats] thought these were their seats, and they want them back," said Republican State Rep. Jeff Manning of North Ridgeville (also endorsed by OFCC PAC), who defeated Democratic challenger David Bruenning, a teacher, in District 57.

Read the entire story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

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.

Last week, the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary - Civil Justice, Sen. Jacobson, told the Sun Star, a suburban Cleveland newspaper, had this to say of the Fraternal Order of Police union's continued opposition to HB274. "Right now, I'm trying to understand their position better."

"I can assure you no one, not the gun lobby or anyone else, is going to
tell me when to do this."

"I have a history of voting against positions my donors would like me to take, I have no problem telling people, 'I disagree.'"

While Jacobson claims to be pro-gun, he says, "That is different than saying I'm a proponent of this bill. I don't know if this bill or any other (concealed-weapons bill) can pass."

Let us know what you think about his consideration of further compromises with the FOP by voting in our latest online poll.

Republican victories in two races for the Ohio Supreme Court figure to mark a philosophical shift in a court that has increasingly come under attack.

The elections on Tuesday of incumbent Evelyn Lundberg Stratton and Lt. Gov. Maureen O'Connor are expected to switch a 4-3 majority on many issues, including school funding, insurance and lawsuit liability cases. Currently, a 4-3 majority has ruled in favor of labor unions and trial lawyers.

O'Connor's victory gives conservatives another vote on those issues, in contrast to the votes of retiring Justice Andrew Douglas, who often joined the pro-labor majority.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, Stratton defeated Democratic Judge Janet Burnside of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court 55 percent to 45 percent.

With 99 percent of the precincts reporting, O'Connor defeated Democrat Tim Black, a Hamilton County Municipal Court judge, 57 percent to 43 percent.

Read the whole story in the Cleveland Dispatch.