Democrats, riding the coattails of Barack Obama, regained control of the Ohio House on Tuesday for the first time since Verne Riffe ended his 20-year reign as Speaker in 1994.

Unofficial results show Democrats picked up seven seats held by Republicans to hold at least 51 seats in the 99-member House. Democrats needed a net gain of four to win back the House.

Republicans, meanwhile, were on track to keep their 21-12 margin in the Senate.

"We saw a tremendous outpouring of support for change in the policies of both the federal government and our state government," said state Rep. Armond Budish, who figures to become Speaker next year.

Gov. Ted Strickland, who became the first Democratic governor in Ohio in 16 years when he was elected in 2006, said he was looking forward to working with the new leadership.

"I know our new Democratic House majority stands ready to work in a bipartisan manner to help create new jobs, improve access to health care and help make our schools the best in the nation," he said in a statement.

State Rep. Matt Dolan, a Republican, credited Obama's victory in Ohio for helping lead the way for Democrats and said he thought the GOP did well given the circumstances.

"We ran into a political tsunami where voters turned out for the top of the ticket in ways that we just couldn't overcome," he said.

The fight turned on about a dozen key races out of the 99-seat House where Republicans had a 53-46 lead going into the election.

Of the seven seats Democrats picked up so far, four were held by incumbents - Richard Nero of the 42nd District, Carol-Ann Schindel in the 63rd District, John Schlichter in the 85th District and Jim McGregor in the 20th District.

They also won an open seat in the 28th District in Hamilton County when Connie Pillich beat Sharonville Mayor Virgil Lovitt. Democrats went after the seat that Republican Jim Raussen gave up to double his salary and take a job with the Strickland administration as director of insurance and financial development.

Besides the 28th District, Democrats John Carney and Debbie Phillips won open seats in the 22nd and 92nd districts.

Republicans Cheryl Grossman and Ron Amstutz won the open 23rd and 3rd districts.

Democrats focused their campaigns on what they say they have done with Strickland to help the middle class - a tuition freeze at state universities and colleges for two years, expanded health care for children, and an energy bill that avoids huge price increases while requiring more reliance on renewable energy.

Republicans say those policies could not have been approved without a GOP-controlled Legislature.

In the Senate, 13 of the 16 seats up for election were held by Republicans. Republicans won 12 and were leading in the final race. Democrats had believed they could pick up three seats.

Among the races being watched was the 10th District east of Dayton, where Republican state Rep. Chris Widener won easily with 62 percent of the vote against Democrat Roger Tackett, a longtime Clark County commissioner.

The House came into play this year after Democrats picked up seven seats there and one in the Senate to close the gap in 2006.