Age: 50

Party: Republican

Resides in: Westwood

Profession: Lawyer

Key issue in race: "The war on terrorism, improving the economy, 'partial-birth' abortion and Social Security/Medicare."

Greg Harris

Age: 33

Party: Democrat

Resides in: Clifton

Profession: Teacher and nonprofit group executive director

Key issue in race: Shrinking middle class. Harris says middle-class people are being hit from all directions by wage stagnation, outsourcing of well-paying manufacturing jobs and rising health care premiums. He said jobs are paying 20 percent less after the recession than before it. He said these things are the result of deliberate policies that have concentrated America's wealth in the upper class.

2nd District: Portman vs.Sanders

Rob Portman

Age: 48

Party: Republican

Resides in: Terrace Park

Profession: U.S. Representative

Key issue in race: "We must continue to improve Ohio's economy and create more jobs. Ohio workers need the tools to compete and win in the global economy. This includes not raising taxes, reducing health care costs, stopping frivolous lawsuits, opening more foreign markets to Ohio products and helping workers with retraining."

Charles Sanders

Age: 57

Party: Democrat

Profession: Financial analyst

Key issue in race: "Jobs, education, health care access and availability, the economy and small businesses and family farms seeking expansion and new markets. ... When elected, my entire focus will be on reversing the fiscal irresponsibility and optimizing citizen and business priorities."

3rd District: Turner vs. Mitakides

Michael Turner

Age: 44

Party: Republican

Resides in: Centerville

Profession: Incumbent congressman, former Dayton mayor

Key issue in race: "National security and about the economy. ... For families the important thing is, specifically on the tax side, increasing the child care tax credit, reducing the marriage penalty, working to eliminate the death tax, and for our seniors, adding a prescription drug program to Medicare."

Jane Mitakides

Age: 55

Party: Democrat

Resides in: Centerville

Profession: Co-owner of Dental Recycling North America

Key issue in race: "I believe in creating jobs here instead of sending them overseas and protecting family farms. This Congress has wasted their opportunity to provide affordable health care and prescriptions, improve education and to fully fund veterans' services."

8th District: Boehner vs. Hardenbrook

John Boehner

Age: 54

Party: Republican

Resides in: West Chester Township

Profession: Member of Congress since 1991

Key issue in race: "My two big priorities is the re-authorization of the Higher Education Act, funding for students from low- to moderate-income families to attend institutions of high learning, and to bring some security to our private pensions systems in America."

Jeff Hardenbrook

Age: 45

Party: Democrat

Resides in: Dayton

Profession: Substitute teacher

Key issue in race: "It's about leadership and representation. We have incumbents that have been arrogant, and think they're immune to any sort of accountability with voters, and have lost touch with their constituents."