Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray is living proof of a Jeopardy winner.
"I made more money in five days on Jeopardy than I did working for the federal government, clerking for the Supreme Court for the entire year," Cordray said.
Cordray was the featured speaker at the Butler County Progressive Political Action Committee's Candidate Night held at the LCNB Bank Building Thursday, Sept. 9.
The event spotlighted the Democratic candidates running for Butler County offices, as well as Richard Cordray, the incumbent candidate for Ohio Attorney General.
"I've been wanting to get to Butler County for a month or more now, so we decided we'd come up to Hamilton where I did a stop and then come up to Oxford," Cordray said.
Don Daiker, President of the Butler County Progressive PAC, and the Miami University College Democrats were instrumental in arranging his visit, according to Cordray.
"The Butler County Progressive PAC did most of the work attracting the AG to Oxford and providing him a venue to speak," Stephen Kostyo, president of the Miami College Democrats, said. "Miami University is also becoming a popular place for Democratic candidates to speak because of the great gains we made for Democrats in 2008."
Cordray was elected attorney general in 2008 after spending many years in public service.
He earned a masters in economics from Oxford University and graduated from the University of Chicago Law School. In addition to practicing law within the private sector, Cordray had the opportunity to serve as a law clerk for two U.S. Supreme Court justices.
"My career took a different path in politics because I got elected Franklin County treasurer," Cordray said.
Following a four-year term as county treasurer, Cordray was elected state treasurer. He has also served as a state representative and Ohio's first solicitor general.
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After the resignation of the former attorney general in 2008, Cordray was elected in a special election, earning more votes than any other Democrat in a statewide election.
Since his election, Cordray has remained the "people's lawyer."
"That is how I see the job of the attorney general, not only to represent state government, but also to represent the people, which we do in many ways very directly," Cordray said. "We are the consumer advocates for 11.5 million Ohioans who do not have meaningful access to the legal system in the sense that household budgets are such that they would never hire a lawyer."
Besides consumer protection, education is of great importance to Cordray. He is the son of a teacher and a former law professor at The Ohio State University.
"Everybody sets an example in their own life, and for me education has been the window to opportunity every step of my life," Cordray said.
Cordray explained that in his role as attorney general he represents not only the Department of Education, but also the public colleges and universities in the state, including Miami.
This November, Cordray faces former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine.
"Students will have a big impact in this election either by voting, or by staying home," Cordray said. "If you are an officeholder, you have to create relevance so they feel like it matters for them to go and vote."
Kostyo said he feels Ohio has seen a big shift in the right direction since the election of Cordray in 2008.
"Cordray's campaign has greatly encouraged students to attend because he represents the great political achievements that can be made when someone with his commitments to education takes office," Kostyo said.
Cordray encouraged people to vote on Election Day Nov. 2.
"Public service is about the direction of leadership in our country," Cordray said, closing out the evening.
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