Ohio official at center of provisional ballots controversy
COLUMBUS, OHIO (CNN) -- Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell cut an imposing figure as he strode to the podium as Tuesday became Wednesday to address journalists and camera crews who had been waiting idly for hours for news of when Ohio's provisional ballots would be counted.
Early Wednesday morning, President Bush was projected to have won 28 states and 254 electoral votes. Ohio's 20 electoral votes would give him four more than needed to win re-election.
Blackwell said he could not say how many provisional and absentee ballots needed to be counted, but he said estimates were between 175,000 and 250,000.
Bush held a lead of about 136,000 votes early Wednesday with 100 percent of precincts reporting.
"What I've told everybody to do is take a deep breath and relax," Blackwell told the audience.
The former Xavier University linebacker -- a onetime Dallas Cowboys draftee -- is used to the national spotlight. Some say he craves it and is using it to propel himself to higher office.
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