Robert Owens

Democrats may win all three statewide votes they're pushing come Election Day, according to a poll by the Columbus Dispatch.

Attorney general candidate Richard Cordray (D-Pleasant Twp.) is beating Mike Crites (R-Powell) by 17 points, 57 to 40 percent. Independent Robert Owens has 3 percent support.

Ballot issue 5, which seeks to revoke payday lending regulations limiting high interest rates for short-term loans, looks to be defeated by 69 percent of voters. (A "yes" vote would keep the low interest rate.)

Issue 5 has widespread, bipartisan opposition

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is giving some campaigns in the state a big boost, and has the Palin bounce in Ohio fizzled out? Check out this week's Winners & Losers. | CLICK HERE

Independent attorney general candidate Robert Owens said opponent Mike Crites (R-Powell) is following his lead by announcing special-counsel reforms shortly after a poll showed Owens gaining support.

"I find it very ironic that the day after a new poll shows our campaign gaining significant traction is when Mr. Crites chose to announce this mimicking proposal," Owens said in a statement. "His plan is not an open competitive bid process, as we've been calling for."

In a July interview with PolitickerOH.com, Owens said he wanted competitive bidding process for special counsel work contracted out by the attorney general's office. In yesterday's release, Owens did not specify why Crites proposal is not open or competitive. 

Attorney general candidate Robert Owens (I-Delaware Co.) receives 13 percent of the vote in a Survey USA poll of likely voters surveying their preferences for attorney general.

State Treasurer Richard Cordray has 44 percent support, former U.S Attorney Mike Crites has 33 percent support and Owens 13 percent. Ten percent said they were undecided.

A Quinnipiac poll taken in early August showed Cordray with identical support, while Crites had 26 percent support. A Columbus Dispatch poll taken more recently had Cordray down to 34 percent support and Crites at 24 percent. 

A plurality of voters are undecided about who should be their next attorney general.

The Columbus Dispatch's poll shows 42 percent of likely voters are undecided about the race, while 37 percent support state Treasurer Richard Cordray (D-Pleasant Twp.), 24 percent support former U.S. Attorney Mike Crites (R-Powell) and 1 percent support attorney Robert Owens (I-Delaware).

Sixty-four percent are undecided about the race for Ohio Supreme Court for incumbent Maureen O'Connor's seat. Slightly fewer are undecided in the race between incumbent Peter Sikora and challenger Evelyn Statton (Straton leads by 4 points).

The sick day initiative has 60 percent support among voters.

Fewer voters support a casino between Columbus and Cincinnati along I-71, with 53 percent favorable to the idea. 

POWELL - Most audiences wear cell phones on their belts, but those gathered at Liberty Park on Sunday wore loaded handguns too.

About 100 members of Ohioans for Concealed Carry heard from all three attorney general candidates at the group's annual picnic. State Treasurer Richard Cordray (D-Pleasant Twp), former U.S. Attorney Mike Crites (R-Powell) and attorney Robert Owens (I-Delaware) introduced themselves to the audience and explained how they would operate as attorney general, especially regarding guns.

Crites said he knows from experience who to blame for violent gun crimes.

Two items worth noting today about Ohio's only statewide race this year: attorney general.

First, Democratic attorney general nominee and state Treasurer Richard Cordray said the Ohio Treasury saved $1.25 million this year after a "top to bottom audit" and restructuring.

"We dug deep and rooted out fundamental flaws. From there we trimmed, streamlined and restructured. The result is a leaner, stronger Treasury. We are effectively doing more with less than in years past," Cordray said in a statement.

Second, Cordray, Republican Mike Crites and independent Robert Owens will all attend the Ohioans for Concealed Carry's "Party in the Park" picnic this Sunday in Powell, just north of Columbus.  

Also in attendance: John McCain regional coalitions director Andy Swanson, 15th Congressional District candidate and libertarian Mark Noble, and Republican 6th Congressional District candidate Dick Stobbs.

Attorney Robert Owens: Owens campaignIndependent attorney general candidate Robert Owens will appear on the ballot to run for attorney general after the Secretary of State validated the signatures he gathered in May.

Owens said in an interview with PolitickerOH.com last week that he wants to place the attorney general office's to require competitive bids from lawoffices when they come to the office for special counsel work. The bids would be reviewed by an independent board. 

With Owens on the ballot, Democratic nominee and state Treasurer Richard Cordray now has an official challenger.

Meanwhile, the Republican Party continues to search for a candidate, convening a meeting of its attorney general selection committee this week.

Attorney Robert Owens: Owens2008.comWhile Republicans don't have an attorney general nominee to challenge Richard Cordray, the Democratic nominee does have an opponent: independent Robert Owens.

The 34-year-old trial lawyer from Delaware County is running primarily to stop the attorney general's office from giving law firms millions in special counsel contracts without competitive bids, Owens said. If elected Owens would place all special counsel contracts into a competitive bidding process controlled by a review board.

"We would submit to move those towards that competitive bid process, which would remove an awful lot of graft from government," Owens said. "Really this would be a monumental and fundamental change in the way the attorney general does business."