Ohio’s race for attorney general is already throwing sparks, and Democrats have not even picked their nominee yet. Columbus-area attorney John Kulewicz and former state representative Elliot Forhan are barreling toward a May 5 primary that will decide who faces Republican Keith Faber in November’s general election. The contest has become a litmus test for Democrats: do they want a veteran, establishment-backed lawyer or a firebrand whose style is anything but low key?
Kulewicz Lands Party Muscle And Union Clout
John Kulewicz is running with the wind of the party machine at his back. In late February, the Ohio Democratic Party’s executive committee formally endorsed him, giving his campaign a shot of institutional energy heading into May. According to The Statehouse News Bureau, the committee chose Kulewicz over his primary rival, signaling where party insiders are placing their bet in this race.
Labor is lining up too. The Ohio AFL-CIO’s endorsement list includes Kulewicz, an early sign that organized labor is comfortable with him at the top of the ticket in a statewide contest where union support can translate into volunteers, mail, and a lot of doors knocked.
Forhan’s Viral Video Lights Up The Race
Forhan, by contrast, is getting attention the loud way. In late January, a social-media video of the former lawmaker went viral after he said, “I want to tell you what I mean when I say I am going to kill Donald Trump,” then clarified that he was talking about seeking a conviction that could, if the facts and law supported it, lead to capital punishment. As reported by the Dayton Daily News, Forhan framed the remarks as a vow to “apply the law equally to everyone.”
The clip triggered swift bipartisan backlash and a flurry of fact-checks dissecting both his wording and his explanation. In one swoop, Forhan went from little-known contender to national headline, and not in the way most campaigns script it.
Discipline Fights, Court Filings Trail Forhan
The video is not the only controversy hovering over Forhan’s run. His time in the Ohio House included internal disputes that resulted in him being stripped of caucus privileges and committee assignments after internal complaints. He has since responded by taking the fight into court, filing litigation against Statehouse leaders and alleging defamation.
The backstory on those clashes and the legal filings comes through in coverage from the Springfield News-Sun and in public documents such as complaint letters and motions in the court record. Those materials map out a long-running feud that now shadows his bid to become the state’s top lawyer.
November On Deck: Kulewicz Or Forhan Vs. Faber
Whoever survives May will meet a well-known Republican in the fall. Auditor Keith Faber locked in his side of the ballot early by announcing his bid for attorney general and quickly attracting conservative organizational endorsements. For background on his entry into the race and the early support he picked up, see coverage from Ideastream and WOUB.
On the Democratic side, Kulewicz is leaning on a long legal career, highlighting decades of appellate work and what his campaign describes as a string of high-profile courtroom wins. Local coverage of his run notes a lengthy résumé that includes a case his campaign says reached the U.S. Supreme Court. Forhan, by contrast, is offering himself as the sharper-edged alternative, even as his rhetoric turns him into a political lightning rod.
Voters’ Bottom Line
On May 5, Democratic voters will decide whether to send a conventionally credentialed nominee with party and labor backing into a statewide fight, or a combative candidate whose statements have already drawn national scrutiny. The stakes are not trivial: Ohio has not elected a Democratic attorney general since Richard Cordray left the office in 2011. As they head to the polls, voters will be weighing courtroom experience, perceived electability, and how much controversy they are willing to tolerate in a race for the state’s top law-enforcement job.
