MiddletownJournal.com

Warren County Commissioner Pat South took a moment at a Republican fundraiser to kiss a smiling toddler before handing the boy back to his mother.

"I'm allowed to kiss this baby," South said. "He's my grandson."

Politicians like to kiss babies — whether they are related to them or not. It's an election campaign tradition. So is Labor Day being considered as the unofficial beginning of the election season.

With county offices already wrapped up in an unopposed clean sweep by the GOP, Republicans and Democrats are looking to the larger elections, such as judge seats and congressional posts. And of course, the American presidency.

"Warren County is a very important county for the presidential race," said Tom Grossmann, chairman of the Warren County Republican Party and mayor of Mason.

Grossmann noted that in 2004, Warren County voters gave George W. Bush a 40,000-plus margin of victory, helping him secure the swing state of Ohio.

Even though Democrats remain heavily outnumbered in the county, party members also are looking forward to a spirited race and getting their message out.

"More people of all parties and all persuasions have been attracted to this campaign because of the positive message and the call for change," said Martha Paige, a neighborhood team leader for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama.