Delaware Co. Prosecutor Dave Yost Announces Bid for Attorney General in 2010

On April 18, 2009, Republican Prosecutor Dave Yost announced he will seek his party's nomination for Attorney General in 2010, saying Ohio needs "a prosecutor, not a politician" in the State's top law enforcement job.

"The Attorney General's office is the backbone of Ohio law enforcement," Yost said. "I've been on the front lines of criminal justice and in the courts -- I know what's needed by the men and women who carry the badge, and I'll make sure they get it."

The Attorney General runs the state crime lab, the organized crime commission, the Bureau of Criminal Identification & Investigation, and the Victims of Crime program. The Attorney General also defends all capital murder convictions in federal court.

Yost announced his candidacy at the College Republicans convention at The Ohio State University, and also spoke at the Geagua County Lincoln Day Dinner and at the Soueastern Republican County Chairs' Summit in Chillicothe.

Yost is an active prosecutor, and regularly tries cases to juries. He won the first capital murder sentence in Delaware County history in 2003, and has agressively pursued sex offenders. He also:

• Uses the corrupt activities statute -- also known as the state RICO statute -- to aggressively prosecute career criminals who commit economic crimes.
• Prosecuted the largest drug ring in Delaware County history.
  Successfuly defended Megan's Law from a constitutional challenge in federal court.

Yost previously served as a Delaware city councilman and as county auditor.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, other possible Republican challengers include Mike DeWine of Cedarville, the anti-gun former U.S. Senator who was defeated in his 2006 re-election bid; state Sen. Tim Grendell of Chesterland; and Mike Crites, who ran against current Attorney General Rich Cordray in a special election to replace Democrat Marc Dann, who resigned his office in scandal.