Warrensville Heights Mayor Marcia Fudge (D) has won the special election primary to serve out the remainder of the term of her late mentor, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D).

Fudge won Tuesday’s Democratic primary with 74 percent of the vote.

Jones died in August after she suffered a brain aneurism while driving her car. Fudge, who used to work for Jones, was nominated by Cleveland-area Democrats to take Jones’ spot on the ballot this November.

In the meantime, however, Ohio law requires that someone serve out the remainder of Jones’ term in Congress. In addition to running on the Nov. 4 ballot for a full term in Congress, Fudge will also be in a special election on Nov. 18 to determine who will serve out the remainder of Jones’ term.

Fudge is expected to win both contests and will likely run unopposed on Nov. 18.

Pelosi Joins Kilroy at Women’s Roundtable

Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy, the Democratic nominee in the open 15th district race, was joined by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in Columbus on Wednesday morning for what the Democrat’s campaign called a “women’s roundtable.”

“As a mother of two young daughters, and as someone who worked her way through school, Mary Jo Kilroy understands the needs of middle-class families during these tough economic times and has a proven record of accomplishment,” Pelosi said in a statement.

Kilroy is making her second go at the seat after narrowly losing her 2006 bid to Rep. Deborah Pryce (R), who is retiring. Kilroy and state Sen. Steve Stivers (R) are running for the seat this cycle.

The district is one of the most heavily targeted in the country, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s independent-expenditure arm putting $1.2 million into the race so far.