Ted Strickland (D)

Rep. Ted Strickland, an ordained Methodist minister and former prison psychologist, became the first Democrat in 16 years to win Ohio's governorship after walloping Republican social conservative J. Kenneth Blackwell. He ran away with the race early and never looked back.

Strickland, 65, is a steelworker's son from southern Ohio who lost four races for Congress and won six. His first advertisements after this year's primary appeared on Christian radio stations, where he quoted a biblical injunction "to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with our god."

He focused his campaign on bread-and-butter issues, arguing that many Ohioans were being left behind -- shut out of health insurance, good jobs and better education. And he pledged to run an inclusive, compassionate and ethical administration in a state where incumbent Gov. Bob Taft (R) was fined for taking unreported gifts and Rep. Robert W. Ney (R) pleaded guilty to corruption charges.