Attorney General of Ohio · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the Ohio attorney general race?
Keith Faber has the strongest record in the Ohio attorney general race. Keith Faber scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Keith Faber's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. John Kulewicz (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican
Strongest record
Keith Faber
66 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 63
Democratic
John Kulewicz
On the ballot as John J. Kulewicz
Not enough public record for a score
Public evidence on 7 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 63
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Keith Faber
- On the record2021-09 to 2022-05
As a Redistricting Commission member he voted for the September 2021 and January 2022 legislative maps and against the February, March and May 2022 maps; the Ohio Supreme Court rejected all five.
Sources: Ballotpedia News, Sept. 17, 2021, Bricker Graydon, Jan. 2022, Spectrum News 1, Feb. 25, 2022, WCBE (Statehouse News Bureau), March 29, 2022, Ballotpedia News, June 1, 2022
- On the record2018-10-12
AP reported in 2018 that he and his businesses paid about $330 in penalties on roughly $5,500 of late property tax payments from 2008 to 2015; his bookkeeper said the errors were hers.
Source: Associated Press, Oct. 12, 2018
- Credit2024-03-20
A National State Auditors Association peer review found the quality control system of the Ohio Auditor of State's office, which he heads, suitably designed and complied with for March 2023 to February 2024.
Source: Ohio Auditor of State, NSAA peer review report, March 20, 2024
- Credit2007 to 2008
The Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him above expectations as an Ohio senator in 2007 to 2008, when 7 of his bills became law.
Source: Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislative effectiveness scores
John Kulewicz
- Credit2022
Argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in Marietta Memorial Hospital Employee Health Benefit Plan v. DaVita Inc. in 2022.
Sources: Wikipedia, John Kulewicz, Supreme Court of the United States, oral argument transcript, No. 20-1641
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Keith Faber. No public record found.
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Keith Faber. On the Ohio Redistricting Commission he voted with the two Democratic members against the Republican-backed legislative maps in February, March and May 2022, splitting from the governor, Senate president and House speaker.
Sources: Spectrum News 1, Feb. 25, 2022, WCBE (Statehouse News Bureau), March 29, 2022, Ballotpedia News, June 1, 2022
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Keith Faber. Accepted an Oct. 19, 2026 debate at Youngstown State University and declined his opponent's proposed second debate at Kenyon College, per WFMJ.
Source: WFMJ, Sept. 9, 2026
John Kulewicz. Proposed two 2026 campus debates, at Youngstown State and Kenyon College, and said he would join the YSU debate if Faber also debated at Kenyon; WFMJ reported it was unclear whether he would accept YSU alone.
Source: WFMJ, Sept. 9, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Keith Faber. More than two decades in the Ohio House, Ohio Senate, as Senate president and as state auditor since 2019, with no censure, reprimand or conduct finding found.
John Kulewicz. Practiced law at a Columbus firm for more than four decades and serves on the Upper Arlington City Council; no conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, John Kulewicz
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Keith Faber. Has held sworn state office since 2001, including auditor of state since 2019; no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Wikipedia, Keith Faber
John Kulewicz. Elected to the Upper Arlington City Council; no official finding of misuse of office found.
Source: Ballotpedia, John Kulewicz
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Keith Faber. Auditor of state since 2019 (second term), Ohio Senate president from 2013 to 2016, and multiple terms in the Ohio House and Senate; a civil litigation attorney in Celina.
Sources: Wikipedia, Keith Faber, Ohio Auditor of State, NSAA peer review report, March 20, 2024
John Kulewicz. Upper Arlington city council member and a longtime litigator at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease who argued a 2022 case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sources: Ballotpedia, John Kulewicz, Wikipedia, John Kulewicz, City of Upper Arlington, council directory
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Keith Faber. Was Ohio Senate president, a chamber leadership post (E5), and publishes attorney general priorities on consumer protection, drug enforcement and human trafficking.
Sources: Wikipedia, Keith Faber, Campaign site, Issues
John Kulewicz. His Ballotpedia survey describes using the office against price fixing and for consumer protection, in general terms.
Source: Ballotpedia, John Kulewicz
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Keith Faber. Publishes issue and record pages on his campaign site. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
John Kulewicz. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, John Kulewicz
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Keith Faber. Lives in Celina, where he founded his law firm, and represented the area in the legislature for years.
Sources: Campaign site, Meet Keith, Ballotpedia, Keith Faber
John Kulewicz. Grew up in Columbus and lives in Upper Arlington, where he serves on the city council.
Sources: Wikipedia, John Kulewicz, Ballotpedia, John Kulewicz
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Keith Faber. Has headed the statewide Office of the Auditor of State since 2019; a 2024 National State Auditors Association peer review found its quality control system suitably designed and complied with.
Source: Ohio Auditor of State, NSAA peer review report, March 20, 2024
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Keith Faber. As a legislator, the Center for Effective Lawmaking rated him above expectations in three sessions; 7 of his bills became law in 2007 and 2008. His auditor's office reports 170 fraud convictions since 2019.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking, state legislative effectiveness scores, Campaign site, His Record
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Keith Faber. No public record found.
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Keith Faber. No public record found.
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Keith Faber. No public record found.
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Keith Faber. The office he heads passed its 2024 external peer review by the National State Auditors Association.
Source: Ohio Auditor of State, NSAA peer review report, March 20, 2024
John Kulewicz. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the Ohio attorney general race?
Keith Faber has the strongest record in the Ohio attorney general race. Keith Faber scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, as of October 9, 2026. Keith Faber's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. John Kulewicz (7 of 15 criteria) has too little public record to score. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the Ohio attorney general race in 2026?
Keith Faber (Republican), John Kulewicz (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Keith Faber a good candidate for Attorney General?
Keith Faber scores 66 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 63 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is John Kulewicz a good candidate for Attorney General?
John Kulewicz has public evidence on 7 of the 15 Ballot Standard criteria, short of the 8 needed for a score. The evidence that exists is shown on the scorecard. No record never counts against a candidate.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every Ohio race scored, and the Ohio 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.