Ohio’s attorney general is not just the state’s top law enforcement official, but also serves as a guardian against bad business practices. And this year, that office is open. Two Democrats want the job: a longtime corporate lawyer against a former state lawmaker who’s had run-ins with his own party.
Former state representative Elliott Forhan, who served Beachwood and eastern Cuyahoga County for two years, was first in the race in February 2025, saying he’s ready to fight.
“This campaign is very simple for me," Forhan said in an interview. "It's about three things: tax the rich, stand up to bullies, and prosecute Donald Trump.”
In September, he was joined in the race by John Kulewicz, a partner at a big Columbus law firm and an Upper Arlington City Council member. He has a more measured approach.
“The one thing that I want people to remember about my candidacy is that he cares about my paycheck. Every aspect of that," Kulewicz said in an interview.
Kulewicz and Forhan both have criticisms of term-limited Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, who filed multiple lawsuits against President Biden’s policies that he said were overreaches, including vaccine mandates and expanding Title IX to cover sexual orientation and gender identity. Yost also joined other Republican AGs in the lawsuit filed by President Trump challenging absentee ballot counting in Pennsylvania in 2020. Kulewicz says the AG’s office has lost its way.
“I would have far less interest in taking part in culture war cases around the nation," Kulewicz said. "I think it's more important what the attorney general can do for Ohioans and focusing on Ohio and the needs of Ohioans.”
Forhan is a little more forceful in his negative review of Yost’s work.
“He's not just standing on the sidelines, okay?" Forhan said. "He's cheering on, he's participating in the abuses, unconstitutional, and even in some instances criminal, by this out-of-control federal government.”
Both say political actions are taking away the office’s consumer protection focus. On the law enforcement side, they agreed that all officers should have the training and equipment they need. And Forhan added that anyone who breaks the law should be prosecuted, and he said that includes President Trump. Forhan said if Trump threatens the electoral system and the peaceful transfer of power again, he should be tried and subject to the death penalty if convicted.
“The biggest threat to election integrity in the state of Ohio or across the country, it has a name. It's Donald Trump, okay? So if he tries again, I will prosecute, and I will ask for maximum punishment," Forhan said.
Forhan was more direct in explaining that in a social media post in January, in which he described convicting Trump through a trial "resulting in a sentence duly executed of capital punishment. That is what I mean when I say that I'm going to kill Donald Trump."
The story made national headlines. While Forhan said his supporters like that idea, that was too far for many Democrats, who publicly blasted him along with Republicans.
That's not been the only concern Ohio Democrats have had with Forhan. He was accused of harassment by Ohio House Democratic leaders and of stalking a fellow lawmaker. Forhan filed a lawsuit against leadership for withholding public records related to an investigation of his behavior. He also sued them and Yost for defamation. That suit was mostly tossed out, but Forhan noted the judge didn’t dismiss his claims that Yost refused to defend him as a public official. Forhan has said the allegations against him are false and noted he has never been charged with any crime.
But Kulewicz said all this prevents him from backing Forhan if Forhan wins.
“The impetus of his candidacy appears to me to be a vendetta against the Democratic leadership for him having put himself in the position that he that he found himself in," Kulewicz said. "So, ordinarily, I would support the nominee of the Democratic Party. There are extenuating circumstances here, as the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee found endorsing me, that would make a difference here.”
“I'm not sure what to say about that," Forhan responded when informed of Kulewicz's comment. "I think, to be candid with you, I think it's revealing about his commitment to democratic values.”
In the fall, Forhan or Kulewicz will face term-limited state auditor Keith Faber, who also served in the legislature for 12 years, including as Senate president, and will come into the race with some money and name recognition.
Forhan and Kulewicz both said they'd hit at Faber's Republican work and Trump ties in running against him. Kulewicz said Ohio’s median income is too low and too many people are leaving the state, and said as a Republican Faber is "an architect of the status quo". Forhan points to an op-ed from Faber criticizing those who impede ICE and law enforcement, including Renee Good, the Minnesota woman killed by ICE in January. Forhan describes Faber as “a simple Trump thug.”
