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Democrats Richard Cordray And Betty Sutton Team Up To Take Governor's Mansion

Richard Cordray and family with Betty Sutton (seated). State Rep. Tavia Galonski and Barberton Mayor William Judge behind them and Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro far right [Mark Urycki / ideastream]

Two more gubernatorial candidates in Ohio have joined forces as a team. While Republicans Mike DeWine and Jon Husted decided in November to run together, now Democrat Betty Sutton has dropped out to run as a lieutenant governor with Richard Cordray.  

Cordray said he and Sutton have a lot in common: they both held local, state, and federal office. He notes that Sutton, while a member of Congress, supported the Affordable Care Act.

“Indeed Betty authored the amendment that banned insurance companies from denying coverage for preexisting conditions not after some period of delay but immediately,” said Cordray.

He pointed out Sutton introduced the “Cash for Clunkers” law that helped stimulate the auto industry.

“Her imaginative approach to stimulating demand for cars and trucks while also improving the environment, won bipartisan support, passed the Congress, and secured significant funding to help save an industry that we know is so vital to so many families in Ohio and across the nation.”

Sutton lost her seat in Congress when her district was redrawn and she was defeated by Republican Jim Renacci who opposed the auto bailout. Renacci is now running for governor. 

President Obama appointed Sutton as head of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. 

Sutton grew up in a blue collar family, the youngest of six children, in Barberton. She became a lawyer, served on city council, and then became a state representative. She now lives in Copley. 

Sutton said the two will stand up for the people and “will take on the special interests” that she said run Ohio. She pointed to Cordray’s job as the first head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after the Great Recession.

“We all know that Wall Street had run roughshod and people were reeling in the aftermath. Enter Richard Cordray, who built the CFPB,” said Sutton.   

Sutton and Cordray said they will work on education, jobs, healthcare, and secure retirements for Ohioans. They were thin on details but said Republicans did little to stop the opioid crisis from exploding in Ohio.