I met David Pepper tonight - candidate for State Auditor

[OhioBlue]

He seemed smart and charismatic. He also gave an impressive speech about how in 2010 it can be a serious moment - will we look back and say that '06 and '08 were the high points, or will we say that it was the start of a movement that will continue in 2010? I did really like his ideas for the State Auditor's office. He said that past Auditors have looked at it too much as a role of bookkeeper. He has ideas to expand the office and engage local governments on a much larger scale to help them reform. He also talked about how Mary Taylor seems to be pushed into being the Republican attack dog recently and he just doesn't see that as a good role for the State Auditor. I agree.

I also liked his sense of humor. He said in his first campaign, his yard signs just read "Just add Pepper", which made everyone wonder what it meant... then he had a second round of yard signs that read "Just add Pepper to City Council" with a "Vote for David Pepper" on the other side. He also said he ran his next campaign against Phil Heimlich and he dubbed himself "the Heimlich remover" which made people laugh...

He seemed like a pretty good, down-to-earth kinda guy. I didn't really know much about him before I met him. My first impression is that he is a solid candidate, and would probably make a good State Auditor and would be glad to have him in that position considering the apportionment board.

What does everyone else think about / know about him?

[cmd]

1. He seems to have good support in SW Ohio

and I think he has some Proctor Gamble connections. Both are good things if he is to win statewide.

[liam_laddie]

2. David Pepper...

is one of the two Democratic Hamilton County Commissioners (third is an R.) He's the current President of the Commission. Impressive CV, too; from his website (snipped and edited):

"From 1999-2000, he clerked for Judge Nathaniel Jones on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati. From 1993 to 1996, David worked at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., as an aide to former National Security Adviser Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski and later in St. Petersburg, Russia, working with Russian and American business leaders to stimulate investment and economic growth in the City. David earned his B. A. magna cum laude from Yale University in 1993, where he was Phi Beta Kappa and served as Managing Editor of the Yale Daily News. David earned his J.D. from Yale Law School in 1999."

Father: was popular and effective P&G President, CEO and COB. Family very active in civic affairs. David's a great choice for Ohio Auditor, but a loss for Cincinnati and Hamilton County.