2008 Ohio Attorney General special election

The 2008 Ohio Attorney General special election was held on November 4, 2008, concurrently with the Presidential Election as well as elections to the United States House of Representatives. Incumbent Attorney General Marc Dann who was elected in 2006 resigned on May 14, 2008, due to various scandals, thus triggering a special election. Governor Ted Strickland appointed Nancy H. Rogers to the position, but she announced she would not run to complete the rest of Marc's term. On June 11, 2008, Ohio State Treasurer Richard Cordray announced his candidacy for the election. He was challenged in the general election by former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Michael Crites. Cordray won in a landslide winning 56% of the vote to Crites' 38%.

2008 Ohio Attorney General special election

← 2006 November 4, 2008 2010 →
Turnout	61.4%
Nominee Richard Cordray Mike Crites Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,890,953 1,956,252 Percentage 56.76% 38.41%
County results Congressional district results Cordray:      40-50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Crites:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Attorney General before election Nancy Rogers Democratic Elected Attorney General Richard Cordray Democratic

As of 2025, this was the last time a Democrat was elected Attorney General of Ohio and the last time a Democratic candidate carried the counties of Licking, Fairfield, Richland, Seneca, Huron, Madison, Medina, Pickaway, Marion, and Crawford in a statewide race.

Background

Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Marc Dann resigned the office on May 14, 2008, due to many scandals including an Extramarital affair and many reports of sexual harassment, as well as condemnation from many fellow Ohio Democrats. As such incumbent Democratic governor Ted Strickland appointed Dean of Ohio State University Moritz College of Law Nancy H. Rogers to the position. Serving since May 28, 2008, she announced that she would not seek election to finish Dann's term. Incumbent treasurer Richard Cordray, who previously ran for Attorney General announced his candidacy for the office.^[1]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• Richard Cordray, Incumbent Ohio State Treasurer, former Ohio House of Representatives member from the 33rd district, former Treasurer of Franklin County, former Solicitor General of Ohio, nominee for OH-15 in 1992, nominee for Attorney General in 1998, and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2000.^[2]

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Mike Crites, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio

General election

Results

In the concurrently held Presidential Election Democratic candidate Barack Obama carried the state by 4.5%. Cordray carried the majority of counties in the Appalachia parts of the state and got high support from suburban counties of Columbus. Cordray also did well in the right-leaning Hamilton County home to Cincinnati. As of 2022, this election remains one of the best performances for a Democrat in Ohio in the 21st century with Cordray winning by 18 points, only being beaten by Ted Strickland's performance the 2006 Governor election.

2008 Ohio Attorney General special election^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Richard Cordray	2,890,953	56.76	+4.15%
	Republican	Mike Crites	1,956,252	38.41	−8.98%
Total votes			5,093,207	100.00	N/A
	Democratic hold

By congressional district

Cordary won 15 out of the 18 congressional districts, including five that elected Republicans.

District	Cordray	Crites	Representative
1st	55%	38%	Steve Chabot
			Steve Driehaus
2nd	43%	51%	Jean Schmidt
3rd	50%	45%	Mike Turner
4th	43%	50%	Jim Jordan
5th	48%	45%	Bob Latta
6th	58%	37%	Charlie Wilson
7th	50%	44%	Dave Hobson
			Steve Austria
8th	42%	52%	John Boehner
9th	64%	30%	Marcy Kaptur
10th	65%	30%	Dennis Kucinich
11th	84%	11%	Stephanie Tubbs Jones
			Marcia Fudge
12th	60%	36%	Pat Tiberi
13th	61%	33%	Betty Sutton
14th	55%	40%	Steve LaTourette
15th	63%	32%	Deborah Pryce
			Mary Jo Kilroy
16th	53%	41%	Ralph Regula
			John Boccieri
17th	70%	25%	Tim Ryan
18th	54%	40%	Zack Space

See also

• 2008 United States elections