It is official...Mike Crites is the GOP candidate to replace Marc Dann as the Attorney General. Here is a biographical piece introducing Mike to Ohioans:The main contrast is this: Cordray first ran for office in 1990 so he’s been a professional politician for 18 years. Crites has been a professional prosecutor for 21 years.
Cordray isn’t a strong candidate. His name ID isn’t high. All you need to do is take a look at his ’06 performance. In a tidal wave year against a candidate who did nothing, he won 58 to 42; but against real candidates, he is at least a two-time loser (primaries & generals) statewide.
When Richard Cordray was in middle school, Mike Crites was a surface warfare officer in Vietnam. When Richard Cordray was appearing on Jeopardy, Mike Crites was being nominated by President Ronald Reagan and confirmed by an overwhelming bi-partisan voice vote of the U.S. Senate. When Richard Cordray was starting his career as a professional politician in 1990, Mike Crites was targeting drug dealers, white collar criminals and organized crime as U.S. Attorney.
As an aside, Plunderbund has jumped the shark suggesting that Crites out-Danned Dann. Mike Crites hired a qualified person (graduate of law school) as an assistant U.S. Attorney a year after the Rinehart affair was admitted to, a year after Rinehart and his wife separated and at least six months after Rinehart and his wife got a divorce. Oh, and Rinehart wasn’t in office any longer when Crites hired the woman. To attempt to tie Crites to doing the Mayor a favor and hiring a woman who was having a super secret affair is absolutely ridiculous.
Don't let the Democrats' Mind Ray prevent you from remembering that Marc Dann was elected to an office he admitted he wasn’t qualified for, turned it into Animal House, and had an affair with a subordinate while hiring friends as staff members who sexually harassed other subordinates. It’s mind-numbing that even the lefty bloggers would suggest that the two are related in any universe.
By the way, Brenda Dodrill – the attorney – stayed in the office and worked for the Clinton appointee, so where was the Democrat if this was such a scathing scandal?
UPDATE: Here is a little TIB Network introduction video for Mike Crites...
7/24/08 UPDATE: Statements from the Ohio GOP:
COLUMBUS - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett issued the following statement today on the announced candidacy of Mike Crites for Attorney General:
"When Ted Strickland was asked several weeks ago what quality he most wanted in an attorney general, he said maturity. Mike Crites is his candidate. Mike's two decades of experience as a public prosecutor give him superior credentials in this race, and he offers Ohioans exactly what they expect in their attorney general.
When Richard Cordray was in grade school, Mike Crites was graduating from the Naval Academy. When Rich Cordray was in junior high, Mike was serving in Vietnam. The same year Rich Cordray was playing around as a game show contestant, Mike Crites was being confirmed by the United States Senate as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. There's just no comparison between these two candidates. Ohioans will have a choice in this race between a professional prosecutor and a professional politician. I'm confident they'll elect Mike Crites as Ohio's next attorney general."
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COLUMBUS - Ohio Republican Party Deputy Chairman Kevin DeWine issued the following statement today on the announced candidacy of Mike Crites for Attorney General:
"I've heard from a lot of Ohioans in recent months who are energized and excited by the fresh faces and new leadership in the Ohio Republican Party. They're tired of broken government and career politicians whose only vision is for the next step on the political ladder.
Mike Crites is not an establishment politician. He's a career prosecutor, veteran and family man whose only ambition is to restore the Ohio attorney general's office to the national reputation that once made us proud.
Marc Dann disgraced the office and embarassed the state, and Richard Cordray not only campaigned for him but he also sat quietly for 16 months while the office wallowed in corruption and scandal. Ohioans deserve better. They deserve Mike Crites."
