Ex-YSU president is a commissioner candidate in Florida

YOUNGSTOWN — Former Youngstown State University President Les Cochran is diving into politics, but don’t call him a politician.

Cochran is running for a commissioner seat in Lee County, Fla., which includes Fort Myers.

Cochran, YSU president from 1992 to 2000, is running without party affiliation for a seat held for the past 20 years by Republican Ray Judah.

“I am ‘fed up’ with politics a usual. That is why I have decided to end my retirement and run as an independent (no party affiliation) candidate,” Cochran wrote on a campaign flier that includes the catch-phrase, “Let’s do more with Les.”

“I am not a politician!” Cochran wrote in bold letters on the flier.

While he’s running as an independent, he is a member of the “Lee County Republican Golden Goose Committee,” according to his campaign Web site.

“This committee has repeatedly raised serious questions about county spending practices, excessive levels of reserves, and a lack of transparency in county government,” according to Cochran’s Web site.