Area republicans relaxed in the Ice Arena Lounge as they watched Ohio incumbents — all republican — sweep last night’s elections.

Local candidates up for state representative, U.S. representative, county commissioner and court of appeals judge all had at least 12,000 votes from Wood County votes at one point in the night, leading every democrat by over 3,000 votes.

Robert Latta, state representative for the fourth district, said that though incumbents won, it doesn’t mean they had room to slack on the campaign.

“If a person thinks they can slide through a campaign, they won’t be in office very long,” he said.

But incumbents definitely have an edge, according to Mayor John Quinn, one of many republicans present but not up for election.

“Name recognition is so important,” Quinn said.

Many lesser known candidates, regardless of how much power they hold, stand to gain more from name recognition, he added. He cited judicial elections as an example where voters often know little about who they are supporting.

“I’d rather see judges appointed,” he said. “(There could be) nominations based on a merit system from the Bar Association.” But educating oneself on candidates and voting is still essential, especially for students, according to Latta.

Latta hasn’t won every election he’s been in, so he knows the value of a vote.

“I lost a U.S. Congressional race in ’88 by 27 votes — I can tell you what every vote means,” he said.

He described the power of voting in a story from when he was Wood County Commissioner. When someone asked him to handle a problem with an elected candidate. Latta said he couldn’t — his position only gave him control over the budget.

After the man asked who was in charge of the problem, he admitted to not having voted, Latta said. “Then I looked him right in the eye and said, ‘well, you’re not in charge.'”

Latta said he is glad Issue 1, which sends all non-violent drug offenders to treatment instead of jail, didn’t pass.

“I came out right off the bat against it,” said Latta, vice chair of criminal justice for the state. Those who don’t want the required treatment won’t stop using without a strong incentive like incarceration, he said.

“We’ve got nothing to put over their heads,” he added. Quinn also disagreed with Issue 1, citing that it steals too much power from judges. “Judges have plenty of latitude — it’s not like they have to send people to jail.”

Bowling Green democrats are better represented in city council, elected odd years. But even though five of seven council members are democrats and Quinn is a republican mayor, political confrontation is rare, he said.

Rebecca Bhaer, who organized the Ice Arena gathering, agreed with Quinn.

“Maybe they have philosophical disagreements, but its always done in a respectful way,” said Bhaer, who is both clerk of courts and president of Wood County Republican Women.

Bhaer said she admires current Attorney General Betty Montgomery, who was elected as state auditor. “She’s just a wonderful person and a hard worker,” she said. “She’s someone I’d emulate.”

But the other elected candidates are strong, too, Bhaer said.

“It’s not a matter of them being republican,” she said. “They’re good people.”