6 Key 2018 Midterm Governor Races to Watch
4. Ohio
The race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. John Kasich is essentially a rematch of the 2010 attorney general's election in which Republican Attorney General and former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine very narrowly defeated Democrat incumbent Richard Cordray by 1.2 percentage points.
But Real Clear Politics average of polls shows DeWine, a pro-life politician endorsed by the Family Research Council, behind by 2.7 percentage points heading into the final days of October.
A Suffolk University poll of 500 likely voters earlier this month shows Cordray's advantage being as high as 6-percentage points.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
While in the Senate, DeWine sponsored the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which passed in 2004. He also touts his 100 percent rating from the National Right to Life Committee and has come under fire from Planned Parenthood, who accuses him of trying to "completely ban abortion in the state."
As the state's attorney general, DeWine fought to defend Ohio's ban on same-sex marriage even after a federal appeals court ruled against Ohio's ban.
"Having helped lead a multi-state amicus brief on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in Hobby Lobby, and having supported Ohio's constitutional marriage amendment all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court in Obergefell, it's clear that he recognizes that religious freedom is a sacred right, and that healthy families are the bedrock of society," FRC President Tony Perkins stated in an endorsement. "FRC Action PAC is confident that he will be a dedicated advocate for limited government, for individual liberties, and for strong family values."
Cordray was appointed as the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2012 under the Obama administration. In addition to state attorney general, Cordray has served as Ohio's solicitor general and treasurer. He is endorsed by liberal Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
