Cordray, a candidate for state treasurer, campaigns in Valley

This is the candidate's third statewide campaign.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Richard Cordray, a Democrat running for Ohio treasurer, said Republican Jennette B. Bradley, who has held the post for a year, is doing an ineffective job when the state needs her the most.
State government is being rocked by scandals, most notably at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation and the conviction last year of Gov. Bob Taft on four misdemeanor counts of violating state ethics laws. Now is the time for Bradley to provide leadership, something she has failed to do, Cordray said.
"Bradley is generally ineffective," Cordray told The Vindicator on Friday as he campaigned through the Mahoning Valley. "It's a caretaker administration. She's a Taft appointee. That sums it up."
His background
A former state House member and Ohio's first state solicitor, Cordray has served as Franklin County treasurer since 2002. He collects $1.5 billion in property taxes annually and manages an investment portfolio averaging $500 million.
During a stop last week in Youngstown, Bradley said her 15 years of banking experience combined with her political experience as state treasurer, lieutenant governor and a Columbus city councilwoman make her the ideal treasurer candidate. Taft appointed Bradley as treasurer in January 2005 after Joseph Deters resigned.
Mary Ann Sharkey, Bradley's campaign spokeswoman, said Friday the treasurer isn't involved in any of the state government scandals and is effective in her post.
Previous campaigns
This is Cordray's third statewide campaign. He lost the 1998 general election race for attorney general to then-incumbent Betty Montgomery, a Republican. Cordray finished a distant third in a four-man Democratic primary in 2000 for the U.S. Senate.
But Cordray, an attorney and undefeated five-time champion on the "Jeopardy!" television show in 1987, has revived his political career.
He was elected Franklin County treasurer in 2002 to an unexpired term and won a full four-year term in 2004.
When the job opened four years ago, Cordray saw it as a perfect opportunity to get back into public service and an ideal position to eventually launch a statewide campaign.
Cordray also said he'd be interested in running for other statewide offices in the future.
"For [Cordray] this office is a stepping stone," Sharkey said. "Jennette Bradley doesn't look at this as a stepping stone. She's not running for this office so she can run for another office."
Primary rival
Cordray, who received the state Democratic Party endorsement this week, will face Montgomery County Treasurer Hugh Quill in the May 2 Democratic primary for state treasurer.
Cordray said he has great respect for Quill and expects the primary to be "friendly competition." But Cordray said he hopes Quill gets out of the race.
Quill, Montgomery County treasurer since 1993, doesn't plan to get out of the primary. He collects more than $700 million in property taxes, oversees a $500 million investment portfolio and has generated more than $252 million in investment income during his 13 years in office for his county.
"I'm more than comfortable with competition," Quill said. "I believe in competition in elections and public contracts."
Cordray enjoys a huge financial advantage over Bradley and Quill. Cordray has $707,000 cash on hand in his campaign compared with $266,000 for Bradley and $194,000 for Quill.
skolnick@vindy.com