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As governor hopefuls hit the roads, who's the worst driver?

Jessie Balmert
jbalmert@enquirer.com
The Enquirer reviewed the driving records of Ohio's gubernatorial candidates to see which had the most crashes. Here, a file photo depicts a 2016 wreck in Cincinnati. The crash did not involve a gubernatorial candidate.

COLUMBUS - County party dinners. Campaign stops. Press conferences. Ohio's would-be governors will log a lot of miles for their 2018 campaigns. Some have better track records on Ohio's roads than others.

The Enquirer reviewed the driving records of four Republicans and five Democrats who are considering a gubernatorial run. None had impaired driving charges. And all nine potential candidates had valid driver's licenses – a problem for failed 2014 Democratic candidate Ed FitzGerald, who didn't have one for at least five years.

Republican Mike DeWine, the state's attorney general, had a clean driving history, according to Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles' records. Democrat Rich Cordray, a former attorney general and current director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, had the most speeding tickets with five. The Ohio Senate's top Democrat, Joe Schiavoni, was involved in the most crashes with three.

The Republicans:

  • DeWine has no traffic tickets or crashes on his record.
  • Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted was involved in one crash in Montgomery County in 2000. He has two speeding tickets from 1999 and 2002 and one registration/title violation from 2005.
  • U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci has one violation for operating an unsafe vehicle in 2003 in Norton, outside Akron. 
  • Ohio Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor was involved in one crash in Summit County in 1998. She has two speeding tickets from 2003 in Franklin County.

The Democrats:

  • Cordray, a possible contender, has five speeding tickets since 1998, a 2006 violation for not using a turn signal and a 2004 violation for going the wrong way on a one-way road.
  • Former state Rep. Connie Pillich, of Montgomery, was involved in one crash in 1999 in Hamilton County. She has four speeding tickets since 1999. One was for driving 82 mph in a 65 mph zone in Ashland. Another was for driving four mph above the speed limit in Washington Court House.
  • Schiavoni was involved in three crashes since 2007. He has four speeding tickets since 1999, two seat-belt violations and four other traffic or equipment violations.
  • Former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton was involved in one crash in 2002 in Summit County. She has two speeding tickets from 2000 and 2016.
  • Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, who is considering a gubernatorial bid, has three speeding tickets since 2003.