Democrat Richard Cordray has a huge financial edge over Republican Sandra O'Brien. He's raised over a million and a half dollars and she has raised only $25,000. But O'Brien doesn't act worried. Without much money, she scored a stunning primary victory over her party's hand-picked candidate Jeannette Bradley. Cordray also has the advantage in newspaper endorsements but O'Brien dismisses that too.
Sandra O'Brien: So there's a huge disconnect from what newspapers ask and what voters ask on the street.
In the primary O'Brien talked more about her opposition to abortion, her support for guns and traditional marriage than about issues that come before the State Treasurer's office. Bradley, who is pro-choice, was told by party officials to save her money for the general election. But the Republican rank and file elected O'Brien. Those social issues did not come up in the City Club debate. Cordray, The Democrat, who is Franklin County's treasurer, said he has experience investing large sums of money while O'Brien, who is not a treasurer, has never invested public money. He said assessments by the Republican State Auditor tell the story.
Richard Cordray: All my audits were clean. My opponent, 11 of her 12 audits, she received citations - once for overpaying her own salary.
O'Brien did not respond to those citations but has told reporters that she helped root out the case of embezzlement from one her employees and the overpayment of $1,500 to herself was an oversight.
Both candidates said they wanted to make the state investments that the Treasurer oversees more transparent and more public. Both said they would opt for a diverse portfolio. Cordray said he feels every state officeholder should do what they can to help the state economy.
Richard Cordray: We have two of the poorest large cities, we've lost jobs, income is down.
Cordray wants to use the linked deposit program that his mentor, Mary Ellen Withrow, invented. The Treasurer deposits money in local banks if they agree to offer loans to small businesses at below market rate.
Sandra O'Brien has a different take. Saying she's a Reagan Republican, she said Ohio can solve its problems and reverse the brain drain by cutting taxes.
Sandra O'Brien: I'm not a doom and gloom person. Look at the national economy - it's a doing great. Ohio reflects leadership but if we follow Reagan's philosophy we'll be doing a lot better.
Neither Candidate shied away from the corruption scandals that have tainted Republicans at the statehouse. Cordray tried to link O'Brien to it by holding up a photo of her and Governor Taft together. Then he said she is tied to the Taft-Householder-Blackwell leadership.
Richard Cordray: The scandals we have seen... have been Republicans. They've had their chance.
O'Brien, who has won reelection as auditor in a democratic county said doesn't accept that corruption is a GOP problem.
Sandra O'Brien: I can see why Repubs were blamed, but I see it as an institutional problem. There were leading Cuyahoga County democrats on the BWC oversight board. Where were they?
While this race is not getting a lot of attention, both candidates had a chance to mention that they enjoyed some small television time. As a kid, Sandra O'Brien was on the Cleveland children's show, Captain Penny. And Richard Cordray was once a champion on Jeopardy. A Bliss Institute of Applied Politics Poll this month found that a Cordray had a three point lead, but a whopping 44% of likely voters were still undecided. Mark Urycki, 90.3.