The Federated Democratic Women of Portage County welcomed Attorney General Richard Cordray to Kent American Legion Post 496 for their Jefferson-Jackson dinner Friday.

Cordray, who is up for reelection Nov. 2, spoke to approximately 100 guests on the importance of continuing his work as attorney general.

“I’m going to continue pursuing these pretty tough cases against these Wall Street firms,” Cordray said.

He added that fighting these companies is the only way to get back money taken from Ohioans.

“Let me tell you, those companies do not come walking out to Ohio with money bulging in their pockets ready to hand it back to our pension systems and to workers and retirees,” he said. “You have to go and fight them. You have to beat them, and you have to make them understand that they’re going to have to pay and be subject to accountability.”

Other important state and local democratic candidates at the dinner included Congressman Tim Ryan and Supreme Court Justice candidate Mary Jane Trapp.

Ryan, who introduced Cordray at the dinner, spoke highly of the Attorney General and encouraged Democratic voter participation at the polls.

“This is really in so many different ways as important of an election as ‘06 was and ‘08 was because all of those gains, all of that hard work, all of that door-knocking, could all be for not,” Ryan said. “We could literally give the keys to the car back to these folks, and they won’t take us back to 1980, they’ll take us back to 1920.”

He also warned guests not to assume election results.

“Don’t take for granted that you think people are going to go out and vote or vote the way you think they’re going to vote, because you don’t know,” Ryan said. “You’ve got to go talk to these people.”

Ryan also spoke about Cordray’s abilities as Attorney General compared to his Republican competitor, Mike DeWine.

“To have a guy like Rich Cordray, who is one of the smartest, most thoughtful public servants that has ever come across this state be challenged by a guy who has no couth,” Ryan said. “Mike DeWine has no couth whatsoever. This guy will say anything to get elected.”

Cordray also shared his opinion of Dewine, saying, “That’s what he would be in the Attorney General’s office: a lapdog in Congress for Wall Street would not be a watchdog on Wall Street in the Attorney General’s office.”

Leota Reale, president of the Federated Women, said having these candidates speak at the dinner helps bring Democrats together.

“We need the unity right now, and we need a lot of support,” Reale said.

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