Ohio Democratic Treasurer candidate holds 50,000-vote lead in race

Ohio Democratic candidate for treasurer Seth Walsh holds a 50,000-vote lead in the race for Ohio Treasurer against Ohio Republican lawmaker Jay Edwards.

With 102,148 provisional ballots outstanding, and 100% of precincts reporting in unofficial results on the Ohio Secretary of State website, Walsh is winning the race with 2,282,546 votes, or 50.55%, compared to 2,232,758 votes, or 49.45%, for Edwards.

The Ohio Treasurer keeps track of the state’s investments and financial accounts, amounting to $280 billion. The office established programs for small business loans and homebuyer savings, and keeps records on government salaries, revenue, and spending.

Edwards ran on “keeping taxpayer money in Ohio” and promoting young blood in the Republican Party, while maintaining Trump-era ideas. The former legislator wants to update the Ohio Checkbook, a public dashboard that shows budgetary spending, salaries, revenue, and other things.

Walsh ran on building the treasurer’s office’s roles from the ground up, working with community developers and local banks in the future. He said his experience revitalizing the College Hill area of Cincinnati brought about ideas that can be used statewide. What he doesn’t support is using state money for projects like entertainment venues and sports stadiums.

Edwards also spoke against the decision of a plan from state lawmakers to use the state’s unclaimed funds account, saying it was “very negative, what was done in the budget, and I can tell you, if I was finance chair, it wouldn’t have happened.”

A lawsuit was filed after the budget was passed with the measure in place, and a temporary block has been placed on it as the lawsuit continues.