COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Voters in Ohio have chosen to replace Richard Cordray as their attorney general.
Cordray lost to Republican challenger Mike DeWine, a former U.S. senator, on Tuesday, trailing by 2 percentage points with 98 percent of precincts reporting. With a lead of more than 60,000 votes, the Columbus Dispatch called the race for DeWine.
Cordray was seeking his first full term as attorney general. He was first elected in 2008 after Marc Dann resigned after admitting to an affair with a staffer. Cordray, the state treasurer, was elected to fill Dann's term.
In his nearly two years in office, Cordray has been active against large financial institutions. He alleges, on behalf of Ohio's public pensions, that Bank of America misled shareholders during its acquisition of Merrill Lynch. The pension funds have been granted lead plaintiff status. Read more here.
DeWine, who served in both houses of Congress, has promised to join the federal challenge to health care reform signed into law in March by President Barack Obama. He will also gain control of Cordray's lawsuits.
In 2007, DeWine joined Keating Muething & Klekamp in an "of counsel" position. He had been a U.S. Senator during the 12 previous years.
From Legal Newsline: Reach John O'Brien by e-mail at jobrienwv@gmail.com.