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Instead of attorney general, GOP's Yost running for auditor

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January 27, 2010

by Marc Kovac

Capital Bureau Chief

Columbus -- A county prosecutor who has been running for the Republican nomination for state attorney general announced Jan. 25 that he was running for state auditor instead.

Dave Yost, who served as Delaware County auditor from 1999-2003 before becoming prosecutor, made his decision official during a press conference at Ohio Republican Party headquarters near the Statehouse.

The seat will take on added significance during the coming redistricting process, as that office-holder is one of the members of the board that will draw legislative district lines for the next decade.

"Business, political and grassroots leaders across this great state have called on me during the last several days to put aside my personal plans and fill the gap in our party's ticket," he said. "... I will run for auditor of state -- not because it is best for me but because it is best for the state of Ohio."

Yost is the second Republican in the race; first-term state Rep. Seth Morgan, from the Dayton area, announced his candidacy last week.

Morgan's campaign released a statement Jan. 25 that he would remain in the race.

"Throughout the next several months, Ohio citizens will discover who is more qualified as Ohio's next auditor and not a couple of individuals who make backroom deals," said Rob Scott, a spokesman for Morgan's campaign.

Yost said while Morgan's credentials are "fantastic," the state representative was not "a viable candidate for this office."

"I have very high regard for him," Yost said. "... [But] this is a huge state. I have spent the last year traveling the length and breadth of it. It is amazing how many different kinds of people there are and the way they make their living and have lived their lives. ... I just don't know that there is enough time for anybody to step up for a first time and begin running statewide with only eight months."

Both Yost and Morgan are running for the seat that will be vacated by incumbent Auditor Mary Taylor, who is running for lieutenant governor with former congressman John Kasich.

Taylor is the only Republican presently holding statewide office.

Democratic county commissioner David Pepper, from Cincinnati, announced his run for auditor last May.

"Dave Yost was strong-armed out of the attorney general's race by the Ohio Republican Party, despite having endorsements from many county Republican parties throughout the state," Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a released statement. "... Running for the auditor's office should not be a consolation prize."

Marc Kovac is the Dix Newspapers Statehouse Bureau chief. E-mail him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog. His Capital Blog can be found online at blogs.dixcdn.com/capitalblog/.




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