Boxer Kelly Pavlik Wins Ohio Democratic Primary for Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton coasted to a victory in the Ohio Democratic primary, eventually winning the state with a 54% majority; compared to Barack Obama's 44%. Polls leading up to the Democratic primary however showed a much closer race - that is until one man threw his support towards Hillary Clinton. That one man is middleweight boxing champion Kelly Pavlik; born, raised and residing in Youngstown, Ohio. "The Ghost", as he's known in the ring, certainly gave the Barack Obama camp the shivers following the Ohio Democratic primary.

Pavlik was quoted as saying, "Hillary is my kind of a fighter," while endorsing the candidate in a widely circulated press release that hit the media just several days before the Ohio Democratic primary took place. Some might say that a boxer endorsing the potential Democratic Presidential candidate is insignificant. Hillary Clinton thinks differently. Prior to Pavlik's public endorsement, Hillary Clinton was at a rally in the state of Ohio and held up a pair of boxing gloves while making allusions to the fact that she, like favorite son Kelly Pavlik, could win a tough fight. The reference was met with raucous, deafening applause and cheers.

Kelly Pavlik may not be a national celebrity; in today's sports landscape more people will recognize the name of a NASCAR driver than the middleweight champion of the world (even when he is one of the most exciting and captivating fighters in the game). But he is a celebrity in sports-crazed Ohio - and a major one at that.

Included among Pavlik's many endeavors since becoming champion are throwing out the first pitch to the fourth game of the Indians-Red Sox playoff series, visiting with the Cleveland Browns and giving a pre-game speech to the Ohio State Buckeyes prior to the most sacred and important of all Ohio events, the Ohio State and Michigan football game. Returning from his championship victory last September Kelly Pavlik had a police escort waiting for him at the state border, he has also been the focal points of parades and billboards. Features in Sports Illustrated and other sports outlets such as The Jim Rome Show followed.

Clearly Hillary Clinton recognized the broad reach of Kelly Pavlik's appeal in his home state of Ohio and the importance of attaching herself to such a beloved figure in the crucial days and weeks leading up to the Ohio Democratic primary. Kelly Pavlik appeals to the working class who relate to his background, hometown and lifestyle; the young who appreciate celebrity; the old who reward hard work, dedication and loyalty; and of course the sports crazed who idolize homegrown talent.

That's a whole mess of demographics that Hillary Clinton desperately needed - and obtained - en route to her Ohio Democratic primary victory. Hillary Clinton could have purchased her own network TV channel, showcasing ads and speeches for weeks on end and not have gotten the mileage out of it that she got from one Kelly Pavlik smile.

In watching as little as ten minutes of election coverage you will hear phrases such as "going for the knockout", "opening a cut that won't close", "taking a mandatory count", "suffering an early knockdown", "looking to draw blood", "firing counter shots" and ceaseless more ad infinitum. An AOL poll asked the question if Barack Obama had a "glass jaw", a guest on CNN and many other articles ask the same question. With this nonstop barrage of boxing references now being used as election jargon, should it be of any surprise that a boxer likely decided the outcome of the Ohio Democratic primary?