Toledo Blade: Sprague, Faber, Clyde good fits for state officesNov. 2, 2018
Ohio voters need competent, dedicated people to be elected this Tuesday in the downticket offices of treasurer, auditor, and secretary of state.
For Ohio state treasurer, state Rep. Robert Sprague (R. Findlay) would bring to the job of Ohio’s top banker both experience and training. Mr. Sprague has been in the Ohio House since 2011. He was previously Findlay city auditor and treasurer, and has a master’s in business administration and experience in business accounting.
He rightly disagrees with plans by his Democratic opponent, Cincinnati attorney Rob Richardson, to invest or divest in funds based on political and ideological considerations. That’s not the treasurer’s job. As a lawmaker, Mr. Sprague has focused on the opioid addiction crisis, which has devastated rural communities that abound in Ohio.
In the race for state auditor, state Rep. Keith Faber (R., Celina) deserves careful consideration. Mr. Faber knows the capital well after some 15 years there.
His Democratic opponent, Zack Space, a former congressman from southeastern Ohio, is also an impressive person. He did a good job in Congress and is a former city law director and counsel to two Ohio attorneys general.
Neither Mr. Space nor Mr. Faber has been an auditor. Both are lawyers. But Mr. Faber has been president of the Ohio state Senate, one of the most important jobs in Ohio politics. Northwest Ohio needs the influence and presence that would come from Mr. Faber in the office of auditor.
In the race for secretary of state, Democrat Kathleen Clyde, a state representative from Kent, shows dedication to the cause of voter access. She has also taken on a real and important issue: the abuse of redistricting to skew voter majorities.
As a member of the seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission in 2021 that will redraw state legislative districts and possibly play a role in drawing new congressional maps, Ms. Clyde as secretary of state could be counted on to seek a more fair and equitable system.
These three candidates show that Ohio politics can still attract the best and brightest.