O'Brien seeks GOP nomination

COLUMBUS (AP) -- Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said Friday that he's seeking the Republican nomination as Ohio attorney general, setting up a primary challenge against state Sen. Tim Grendell.
O'Brien said he hasn't been making many speeches about his candidacy but is seeking county party endorsements next week. On Dec. 21, he converted his county campaign fund to one for statewide races, which has more restrictions on contribution levels.
Attorney General Jim Petro is seeking the GOP governor's nomination.
Democrats seeking to replace him are state Sen. Marc Dann, of Youngstown, and Subodh Chandra, the former top prosecutor for the city of Cleveland.
O'Brien was part of the task force of prosecutors who investigated Gov. Bob Taft, who can't run again because of term limits, for failing to report gifts on annual financial disclosure forms. Taft was convicted in August of four misdemeanor ethics violations.
O'Brien also tried the case in spring against Charles McCoy Jr., the mentally ill man who admitted shooting at cars and buildings near Columbus freeways. McCoy pleaded guilty months after jurors in his first trial deadlocked over whether he was legally insane.
Grendell, of Geauga County in northeast Ohio, is a private practice attorney who specializes in property rights law. A first-term senator, he served four years in the House. His bill putting a moratorium on government seizure of property for private developers passed unanimously and was enacted this year in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing such seizures.