Release: Legislative teammates share national endorsement

Attorney General Candidate Richard Cordray, Congressional Candidate John Boccieri Bring Legislative Legacy, Tenacity to the 2008 Campaign Trail

It was 1992, and there was little inkling of the political tsunami of 1994 that would sweep Democrats from office and out of state leadership positions for more than a decade.

For State Representative Cordray and his aide John Boccieri, success was second nature. Both had won college scholarships and academic honors in their chosen field of economics and government. Their teamwork resulted in many legislative accomplishments in a short amount of time--Cordray successfully sponsored new laws helping law enforcement: clarifying the law on entrapment, expanding their ability to conduct successful sting operation, and raising the penalty for attempted aggravated murder of a police officer. He chaired subcommittees that made stalking a crime and reformed the death penalty jury venire process. He chaired a subcommittee that negotiated with police and children's advocacy groups to write laws on the apprehension, fingerprinting, and photographing of juvenile suspects. Cordray's most significant legislative achievement was Ohio's Community Service Education Act that brought service learning to Ohio high schools.

Then the winds of fortune shifted.

Redistricting ended Cordray's legislative service after only one term. After the House of Representatives changed from Democratic to Republican leadership, Boccieri joined the U.S. Air Force and active duty. He has since completed four rotations as an aircraft commander in Iraq and Afghanistan, including Operation Iraqi Freedom and today serves as a Major in the Air Force Reserve.

The challenges of the intervening decade would turn out to be just as valuable in shaping their future in public service as their promising beginning.

Scholarship students don't become record-holders by giving up easily. Despite adversity, Cordray and Boccieri each stayed focused on what was meaningful and continued to serve their communities.

Cordray became Ohio's first Solicitor General and later, through his private practice and pro bono, went on to argue six cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. He was elected, then re-elected Franklin County Treasurer and in 2006 became Ohio Treasurer, winning that race with nearly 2.2 million votes.

In 2000, Boccieri was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives. Voters sent him to the Ohio Senate in 2006.

This election season finds the pair united again on the campaign trail: Boccieri is running for a Congressional seat held since 1973 by Republican Ralph Regula. Cordray is running for the unexpired term of Attorney General.

Today, both candidates received a valuable endorsement from one of the largest grassroots political action committees in the nation. Started by U.S. Senator Tom Harkin and Texan Jim Hightower, 21st Century Democrat has helped more than 165 candidates in 31 states win election.

"Having worked with Rich Cordray since my days as an intern in his state legislative office, I'm honored to join him in accepting the endorsement of the 21st Century Democrats. There is so much at stake in this election, and we need a new vision that will restore the hope and promise of our nation for every single American," Boccieri said.

"This endorsement comes from the strongest grass-roots organization in the country and I am proud of it. But I am even prouder of John Boccieri, whom I first met when he was just a student. I have admired how he has handled his sterling service to the public and his country ever since. He represents the very best of the United States of America."

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