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DeWine's First Ad for Governor Slams Cordray for Untested Rape Kits

Ideastream Public Media | By Karen Kasler

Published August 22, 2018 at 7:22 PM EDT

photo of untested rape kit — In response to Mike DeWine's political ad for governor that criticizes his opponent Richard Cordray's handling of untested rape kits, Cordray says DeWine is "playing politics" with something as serious and sensitive as the rape kits.

Republican Mike DeWine has put out his first ad for this fall’s race for governor, and it’s a reminder that the two leading contenders in this contest have faced each other before.

The ad features rape survivor Alyssa Allison, whose rape kit was in the backlog of 12,000 that DeWine said he found after the 2010 election. That was the race in which he defeated Attorney General Richard Cordray, who his opponent again this fall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ_uOU13SSU&feature=youtu.be

“Cordray’s failure left serial rapists free to strike again,” the ad says. “Then Mike DeWine became Attorney General. He tested all 12,000 rape kits. Now hundreds of rapists are behind bars.”

“Thanks to Mike DeWine, they found my rapist,” Allison said the ad.

Cordray responded that DeWine had seven years to finish testing that backlog and didn’t until this past February and that he’s sad to see DeWine playing politics with something as serious and sensitive as rape kits.