Back Kulewicz for Ohio AG in Democratic primary

Ohio Democrats should pick John Kulewicz as their candidate to be Ohio's next attorney general. Kulewicz, 72, spent more than 40 years in corporate law at the high-profile firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, where he was a partner and helped lead the firm's appeals work. Although much of his work was in Ohio courts, during an endorsement interview he was particularly proud to have won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that he told us led to lower rates for some dialysis patients. Beyond that, Kulewicz was elected to Upper Arlington City Council in 2019, giving him valuable experience in government. Although not particularly relevant to running the Attorney General's Office, which is the equivalent of a large law firm, Kulewicz also is a lifeguard. He has campaigned in part by swimming in all 88 counties in Ohio. (He told us he swam along the Vermilion coastline from the Erie County side of town to the Lorain County side, although he had to come ashore earlier than anticipated because of bad weather.) Kulewicz struck us as having the kind of steady hand that voters should want in someone charged with handling the Buckeye State's legal affairs. Although he told us he decided to run because he "could see the nation was facing four years of chaos and disorder" under President Donald Trump, he argued that attorneys general should be focused on the law rather than politics. He said he would avoid using the Attorney General's Office for partisan ends as he contended incumbent Republican Attorney General Dave Yost has done. (Ohio Auditor Keith Faber is the only Republican running to replace the term-limited Yost.) We, too, have worried that Yost has used his office to burnish his conservative credentials ahead of what had been a planned run for Ohio governor. (See: elections, abortion rights, etc.) Yost dropped out of the gubernatorial race after the GOP largely coalesced around the candidacy of businessman Vivek Ramaswamy. Kulewicz told us that he would pull out of the "culture-war cases" that Yost has waded into and instead focus on tackling issues that Ohioans are worried about, including protecting consumers and fighting corruption. He also told us he would work to bring greater transparency to JobsOhio, the state's quasi-private economic development agency that is funded by proceeds from the state's liquor sales. Yost has rightly pursued similar efforts to force JobsOhio to be more transparent, both as attorney general and when he served as Ohio auditor. Facing off against Kulewicz in the Democratic primary is former state Rep. Elliot Forhan, who lives in Brooklyn Heights. He told us his campaign boiled down to three things: taxing the rich, standing up to bullies and prosecuting President Donald Trump. That might appeal to many Democrats, but Forhan, 40, is the wrong messenger, as evidenced by the stir caused in January when he posted on social media that he was "going to kill Donald Trump." Although Forhan explained online and to us in a separate endorsement interview that he meant he would prosecute Trump and seek the death penalty, it was a horrible and irresponsible thing to say, especially at time when political violence is a real concern. Although Forhan leaned into his General Assembly experience, he served a single term in the Ohio House before losing his seat in the 2024 primary. That's hardly a surprise given how controversial his time in the House was. He was accused of harassment by his fellow Democrats, which led to him being pulled from his committee assignments. His badge access to the Statehouse also was suspended. Forhan told us that the allegations against him were unfounded. State Rep. Juanita Brent, D-Cleveland, sought a civil stalking protection order against Forhan. That protection order ultimately was dismissed by a Cuyahoga County judge. Forhan pointed out that the judge wrote in the ruling that he had been "exonerated." Forhan has sued a wide range of public officials, including Brent, Yost and state Rep. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, the former House minority leader, over their handling of the allegations against him. Some of his claims in court were dismissed, but others remain. Forhan told us a trial is scheduled for November. Forhan's social media post about Trump helps explain why Kulewicz has said he wouldn't support his rival if he's the Democratic candidate in the fall. (The Ohio Democratic Party has endorsed Kulewicz in the primary.) Forhan, meanwhile, told us he would support the entire Democratic ticket, including Russo if she wins her primary against Dr. Bryan Hambley in the race for Ohio Secretary of State. Although we can't say whether Forhan will prevail against Russo and others in court, we have trouble imagining how voters could reconcile him suing Russo while at the same time backing her candidacy for higher office. Indeed, regardless of what happens in court, the controversies surrounding Forhan could be a drag on the entire Democratic ticket. We have no such concerns about the measured Kulewicz. He's by far the better bet for Democrats against Faber in the fall.