Notes: Gov. John Kasich (R) won a second term, trouncing Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald (D) and activist Anita Rios (G). 

FitzGerald's campaign ran into trouble in late Nov. 2013 when it emerged that his running mate, state Sen Eric Kearney and his wife and businesses owed nearly $1 million in back taxes.  Kearney stepped aside on Dec. 10.  On Jan. 17 Dayton attorney Sharen Neuhardt, who had twice run for Congress, joined the ticket.

in the May 6 primaries Kasich was unopposed, while FitzGerald  won with more than 80% of the vote.

In Aug. 2014 the FitzGerald campaign effectively collapsed. The Columbus Dispatch reported on Aug. 4 about FitzGerald driving without a full driver's license.  A TPM headline the next day added a more lurid element: "Ohio Dem Didn't Have Valid License When Caught With Women In His Car."  It turned out that FitzGerald had gone for about ten years without a regular driver's license.  His campaign underwent a major reorganization after senior staff and consultants left, but the damage was done (>). 

Kasich declined to debate FitzGerald, who was left to debate Rios at the City Club of Cleveland on Oct. 22.  Kasich racked up endorsements from Ohio's big newspapers.  cleveland.com reported the Kasich campaign outspent the FitzGerald campaign by more than $17.3 million to $4.6 million.


Campaign Managers:
John Kasich:  Matt Carle
(July 2013) Director of legislative affairs in the Governor's Office, Jan. 2011-July 2013.  Campaign manager on DeWine for Senate, March 2005-Dec. 2006.  Campaign manager on Voinovich for Senate, Jan. 2003-Jan. 2005.  Campaign chairman and political consultant, Jan. 2002-Dec. 2003.  Field staff director in the Ohio Attorney General's Office, Dec. 1998-Jan. 2002.  J.D. from Capital University Law School, 2003; B.A. in political science and sociology from The Ohio State University, 1994.


Ed FitzGerald:  Chip Shannon
(reported Aug. 19, 2014 succeeding Nicholas Buis; started as political director in Jan. 2013)  Ohio deputy political director on Obama for America, Feb.-Nov. 2012.  Deputy political director for Issue 2 at Ohio Democratic Party, Sept. 2011-Jan. 2012.  Regional communications director at We Are Ohio, April-Sept. 2011.  Regional field director at the Ohio Democratic Party, 2009-10.  A field organizer on Terry McAuliffe's primary campaign for governor of Virginia, Jan.-June 2009.  B.A. in philosophy, theology from Mount Vernon Nazarene University, 2008.

Nicholas Buis
(announced July 30, 2013, resigned Aug. 2014)  Florida General Election director on Obama for America, Feb.-Nov. 2012. Indiana state director for Organizing for America 2009-11.  Regional field director on Obama for America 2007-08.  Degree in political science from West Virginia University, 2007.
 


See also:
Jeremy Pelzer.  "Gov. John Kasich spent more than $17 million to win re-election, records show."  cleveland.com, Dec. 12, 2014.

Erick Trickey.  "Kasich nearly sweeps newspaper endorsements; FitzGerald's driver's license trouble dooms him."  Cleveland Magazine, Oct. 27, 2014.
 
Joe Vardon.  "FitzGerald, lacking full license, apparently drove illegally after dropping off woman,"  The Columbus Dispatch, Aug. 4, 2014.