Richard Cordray
http://www.cordray2018.com/
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2012-2017)
On January 4, 2012, President Barack Obama appointed Cordray as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - a watchdog agency charged with, "scrutinizing unfair practices by debt collectors, mortgage brokers, credit reporting agencies, and predatory payday lenders."[7] He resigned as bureau director on November 24, 2017.[3]
Attorney General of Ohio (2009-2011)
Cordray announced in June 2008 that he would run to serve the remaining unexpired term of Nancy Rogers. On election night, he defeated Republican challenger Mike Crites, receiving fifty-seven percent of the vote.
Ohio Treasurer (2007-2009)
Cordray defeated Republican Sandra O'Brien for State Treasurer in what became a state-wide sweep for the state Democrats in 2006. In the midst of the campaign, Cordray merged "field staffs in the 2006 election and produced a joint mailer" with Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who herself has been linked with the controversial community-based advocacy group, ACORN.[8]
Treasurer of Franklin County, Ohio (2002-2007)
In 2002, Cordray became the first Democrat in a quarter-century to be elected Franklin County Treasurer, replacing Republican Wade Steen, who just a year earlier had been appointed to the position following the health-related resignation of Bobbie M. Hall. Cordray won by a razor-thin margin of 3,232 votes. Throughout the campaign Cordray repeatedly hit on Steen for failing to "collect more than $44 million in delinquent property taxes."[9] He easily won re-election two years later, receiving sixty-four percent of the vote against Republican Jim Timko.
Candidate for U.S. Senate (1998)
Two years later, he chose to run for the United States Senate in the hopes of replacing one-term incumbent Republican Mike DeWine. Cordray placed third in a four-way contest for the Democratic nomination, Ted Celeste (brother of former-governor, Dick Celeste) and Rev. Marvin McMickle, but ahead of last minute entry, Dan Radakovich.
Ohio Democratic Party Central Committee (1996-1997)
Cordray was elected to the Ohio Democratic Party Central Committee for the state's 15th Congressional District in 1996. That same year he was on the short list for United States Attorney General along with Kent Markus and Sharon Zealey, who ultimately received the appointment. He ran for state Attorney General in 1998; he received the Democratic nomination, running unopposed, but was roundly defeated by incumbent Republican Betty Montgomery, who received sixty-two percent of the vote.
Ohio Solicitor General (1993-1996)
In September 1993, Cordray became the first individual appointed as Ohio's Solicitor General, a state governmental office created in an effort to relieve the level of state appellate work. Selected by the state's Attorney General, the Solicitor's main responsibility was to argue cases before both the State Supreme Court and the United States Supreme Court. His most notable was his second, Hanlon v. Berger (1999), which questioned the constitutionality of media ride-alongs with law enforcement officials.[10]
Ohio House of Representatives (1991-1992)
In 1990, Cordray was elected to the Ohio State House of Representatives for the 33rd Congressional District, unseating six-term incumbent Republican Don Gilmore. Also during this time he simultaneously taught courses at both Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and Georgetown University. After the state Apportionment Board redrew state legislative districts in 1991 landed Cordray in one with a twenty-two year incumbent, he chose not to run for re-election.
Instead, he campaigned for the United States House of Representatives seat in Ohio's 15th Congressional District held at the time by outgoing Republican Chalmers Wylie. He easily defeated Bill Buckel for the Democratic nomination, but lost the general election contest to Republican Deborah D. Pryce.