Dems lead congressional races in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Democrats had leads Tuesday in two closely watched races to capture Ohio congressional seats held by retiring Republicans.

For retiring U.S. Rep. Ralph Regula's seat in northeast Ohio, Democratic state Sen. John Boccieri was leading state Sen. Kirk Schuring, a Republican, with 52 percent of the vote. With 72 percent of the vote in, Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy was ahead of state Sen. Steve Stivers in the 15th District with 47 percent of the vote to 45 percent in their central Ohio contest to replace U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce.

In District 6, which includes Lawrence County, incumbent Democrat Charlie Wilson held a comfortable lead over Republican Richard Stobbs. With 23 percent of precincts reported, Wilson had 58 percent of the vote to Stobbs' 37 percent. Green Party candidate Dennis Spisak had 5 percent of the vote.

In other races, U.S. Rep. Steve Chabot, a Cincinnati-area Republican, was in a tighter than expected race against Democratic state Rep. Steve Driehaus due to high expected turnout among black voters for presidential nominee Barack Obama. The district has the largest African-American population of any held by a Republican in Congress.

Republican state Sen. Steve Austria held a slight lead over attorney Sharen Swartz Neuhardt in the race for Ohio's 7th District, held by retiring GOP congressman David Hobson.

Meanwhile, a host of incumbents won re-election, including fellow Cleveland Democrats Dennis Kucinich, a one-time presidential contender, and Marcia Fudge, recently elected to replace the late Stephanie Tubbs Jones.

The GOP holds an 11-7 majority of Ohio congressional seats but saw three of its veteran lawmakers -- Pryce, Regula and Hobson -- bow out of their 2008 races after Republicans lost congressional control two years ago.