2006 Ohio State Treasurer election
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 Cordray: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% O'Brien: 50–60% 60–70% | |||||||||||||||||
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The 2006 Ohio State Treasurer election was held on November 7, 2006. The Democratic nominee, Franklin County Treasurer Richard Cordray, defeated Republican challenger Ashtabula County Auditor Sandra O'Brien by a wide margin of 15 points. Cordray would not serve out a full term as treasurer, as he would go on to resign in 2009 in order to take office after winning the 2008 Ohio Attorney General special election held following Marc Dann's resignation.
As of 2025, this is the last time Democrats have won the office of Ohio State Treasurer.
Background
[edit]Following Joe Deters' victory in the 2002 Ohio State Treasurer election, he went on to resign in 2004 after winning election to the office of Hamilton County Prosecutor. To fill the vacancy, Governor Bob Taft appointed Lieutenant Governor Jennette Bradley to the office.
Republican primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Jennette Bradley, incumbent State Treasurer
- Sandra O'Brien, Ashtabula County Auditor
Campaign
[edit]The Republican primary was held on May 2, 2006. The incumbent State Treasurer Jennette Bradley faced a primary challenge from Ashtabula County Auditor Sandra O'Brien. Bradley ran a lax campaign, with her advisors telling her to save her funds until the election. O'Brien attacked Bradley for her more left-leaning views, such as being pro-choice, and positioned herself as the more conservative candidate.[1] In the end, O'Brien won an upset victory over Bradley, narrowly defeating her by three points.
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Sandra O'Brien | 341,531 | 51.68 | |
| Republican | Jennette Bradley | 319,280 | 48.32 | |
| Total votes | 660,811 | 100 | ||
Democratic primary
[edit]Candidates
[edit]- Richard Cordray, Franklin County Treasurer
Campaign
[edit]The Democratic primary was held on May 2, 2006. Cordray was initially challenged for the Democratic nomination by Montgomery County Treasurer Hugh Quill, but Quill withdrew from the race before the primaries.[3]
Results
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Cordray | 499,341 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 499,341 | 100 | ||
General election
[edit]Campaign
[edit]Cordray substantially outraised O'Brien, by the time of the October debate having raised over $1.5 million, while O'Brien trailed far behind at only $25,000.[1]
Candidates
[edit]- Richard Cordray, Franklin County Treasurer (Democratic)
- Sandra O'Brien, Ashtabula County Auditor (Republican)
Debates
[edit]- Complete video of debate, October 18, 2006
Endorsements
[edit]- Organizations
- Ohio Buckeyes Firearms Association[8]
Results
[edit]The election was not close, with Cordray winning by 15 points, sweeping 51 of Ohio's 88 counties.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Richard Cordray | 2,223,282 | 57.87% | +11.19% | |
| Republican | Sandra O'Brien | 1,618,625 | 42.13% | −11.19% | |
| Majority | 604,657 | 15.74% | +9.1% | ||
| Turnout | 3,841,907 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b "State Treasurer Candidates Debate | Ideastream Public Media". October 19, 2006.
- ^ "Republican Treasurer of State: May 2, 2006 - Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 2022-10-05.
- ^ "Withdrawal of Statewide Candidacy: HUGH QUILL (Democratic Ballot) "REMOVAL OF NAMES OF WITHDRAWN CANDIDATES FROM THE BALLOT"" (PDF). Ohio Secretary of State.
- ^ "Democratic Treasurer of State: May 2, 2006 - Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 2021-09-22.
- ^ "Blade Endorsement: Cordray for Ohio Treasurer | The Blade". The Blade. October 25, 2006. Archived from the original on 2025-10-05. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "Richard Cordray best choice for Ohio voters in state treasurer race". Morning Journal. October 13, 2006. Archived from the original on 2022-08-14. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "Richard Cordray for State Treasurer with Senator John Glenn". YouTube. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ Chris Chumita (May 8, 2006). "Why Sandra O'Brien Won | Buckeyes Firearms Association". Ohio Buckeyes Firearms Association. Archived from the original on 2025-10-05. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "Treasurer of State: November 7, 2006 - Ohio Secretary of State". Ohio Secretary of State. Archived from the original on 2021-12-03. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
External links
[edit]Official campaign websites (archived)