Democrat Ted Strickland led the ticket that freed the Republican grip on Ohio politics in 2006. Term-limited Gov. Bob Taft's dismal approval rating after two terms buried any chance for Republican Ken Blackwell, and Strickland easily defeated Blackwell, gaining 60.6 percent of the vote.

Strickland's first efforts to win a U.S. House seat failed. He lost to Republican Rep. William Harsha in 1976 and 1978. In 1980, he lost to Harsha's former aide, Republican Bob McEwen, who got 55 percent of the vote.

Strickland finally won a U.S. House seat in 1992, winning with 51 percent of the vote over McEwen, who had been implicated in the House banking scandal.

In 1994, Strickland lost his re-election bid with 49 percent of the vote to Republican Frank Cremeans. He regained the seat in 1996 with 51 percent of the vote.

Strickland was re-elected in 1998, defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Nancy Hollister with 57 percent of the vote.

He was re-elected in 2000 with 58 percent of the vote, defeating Marietta businessman Michael Azinger, and in 2002 with 60 percent of the vote, defeating former Columbiana County Commissioner Mike Halleck.

He was unopposed in 2004 and did not seek another term in the House in 2006. Instead, he ran for Ohio governor.

(Last updated by JoAnne Viviano on March 27, 2009.)

Sherrod Brown won a seat in the U.S. Senate in 2006. In 2005, he initially said he would not run against Republican Mike DeWine but Brown changed his mind, announcing a bid in the fall of that year.

Brown easily won the May nomination over underdog candidate Merrill Samuel Keiser Jr. In unofficial results, Brown got 78 percent of the vote to Keiser's 22 percent. He went on to defeat DeWine with 56 percent of the vote in the general election.

Sherrod Brown served as a state representative from 1974 to 1982. He was Ohio's secretary of state from 1982 to 1990. Bob Taft blocked his efforts for a third term in 1990.

Brown was elected to the U.S. House in 1992 with 53 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Margaret Mueller. He defeated Republican Gregory White and two independent challengers with 49 percent in 1994. He was re-elected in 1996 with 60 percent of the vote against Republican Kenneth Blair.

In 1998, Brown was re-elected, defeating Republican Grace Drake with 62 percent of the vote. He was re-elected in 2000 with 65 percent of the vote, defeating Rick Jeric.

In 2002, Brown received 69 percent of the vote to beat Republican challenger Ed Oliveros. Brown was re-elected in 2004 with 67 percent of the vote against Robert Lucas.

(Last updated by Sam Hananel on May 8, 2009.)

George Voinovich announced January 12, 2009 that he will not seek re-election in 2010.

"Those of us that have been given the honor to serve in these times must step up to the plate and put this country on a course that will see it through these harrowing times and make it strong and viable for the 21st century," Voinovich said.

Voinovich was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1998, defeating Democrat Mary Boyle with 56 percent of the vote. He earned 64 percent of the vote to win re-election in 2004 over former U.S. Rep. Eric Fingerhut.

Voinovich was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1967. He served as Cuyahoga County auditor, 1971-76, and Cuyahoga County commissioner, 1976-78. Voinovich was elected lieutenant governor in 1978 and resigned in 1979 to run for mayor of Cleveland. He won and was re-elected to two consecutive terms. Voinovich lost a bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Howard Metzenbaum in 1988.

He was elected governor in 1990 with 56 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Anthony Celebrezze. He won a second term in 1994 in a 72 percent win over Democrat Robert Burch Jr.

(Last updated by Sam Hananel on May 8, 2009.)