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Democratic Ohio Justice Launches Governor Run

Posted on: Monday, October 30, 2017

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The lone Democrat holding a state office in Ohio state is joining the governor’s race on a liberal platform of solar power, mental health care and legalized marijuana.

Supreme Court Justice William O’Neill tells The Associated Press the candidacy he’s announcing Sunday in Chagrin Falls pushes back against a Democratic organization that’s become “a party of careful consultants” rather than one of ideas.

The 70-year-old O’Neill must retire from the bench because of age limits when his term ends in January 2019.

He joins a Democratic primary race that includes former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, former state Rep. Connie Pillich and state Sen. Joe Schiavoni.

O’Neill had said he wouldn’t run if former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray entered the race, which hasn’t happened.