Complex sentence: The general election will pit Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, an African-American Republican, against Ted Strickland, a Democratic U.S. Representative representing the 6th Congressional district, which includes Steubenville, Marietta and Portsmouth.
Split into simpler sentences: The general election will pit Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, a Republican, against U.S. Representative Ted Strickland, a Democratic. Strickland represents the 6th Congressional district, which includes Steubenville, Marietta and Portsmouth.