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WVXU's political correspondent, Howard Wilkinson will be on the scene for the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL and the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC.

Tristate delegates leave Tampa fired up about Romney-Ryan

The mood among Tristate delegates on the floor of the Tampa Bay Times Forum Thursday night, as Mitt Romney delivered his reception speech, may have best been summed up in a tweet.

"An honor to be so close to this historic moment,'' Hamilton County Republican Party chairman Alex Triantafilou tweeted as Romney took the stage Thursday.

Accompanying his tweet was a photo Triantafilou took of Romney at the podium, from Ohio's up-front position on the convention floor, just in front of the podium.

Kentucky State Rep. Addia Wuchner of Boone County was impressed by the speakers who preceded Romney - friends and business associates who told their personal stories of Romney and how he has helped others over the years, both as a businessman and a politician.

"At the RNC, getting to know Mitt Romney,'' Wuchner said on Facebook. "The son, the pastor, the caring man of faith, the businessman, man of integrity and vision, a humble man with the proven leadership qualities that will serve our country well as the next president of the United States."

Kevin DeWine of Fairborn, the former chairman of the Ohio Republican Party who was ousted earlier this year, wrote on Twitter that he was glad to hear the free enterprise system celebrated by Romney and the other speakers.

"Twenty minutes tonight covering entrepeneurism and private equity,'' DeWine write. "A worthwhile and important conversation. We need both in America."

Mid-speech, Triantafilou tweeted that "Gov. Romney gives a stirring defense of capitalism. This venue explodes. Free enterprise and private sector jobs is the key."

After the speech, Ohio delegates loaded back onto to buses for the long ride back to their delegation hotel, where they held a "grand finale" celebration into the wee hours of the morning.

Tony Rosiello, a Green Township trustee, said Romney - and all the other speakers Thursday night - nailed it on the head.

"The entire thing was very well done,'' Rosiello told WVXU. "It more than humanized him, more than he has ever done before. He talked about jobs and family and those are issues that are going to go over well when he comes to Cincinnati Saturday."

Howard Wilkinson is in his 50th year of covering politics on the local, state and national levels.