Kulewicz seeks Ohio attorney general seat in Nov. 3 election

Columbus attorney John J. Kulewicz is the Democratic nominee for Ohio attorney general, facing Republican Keith Faber on Nov. 3.

Kulewicz won the Democratic primary on May 5, defeating former state Rep. Elliot Forhan with approximately 63% of the vote, according to the Ohio Capital Journal. The race is statewide, appearing on ballots across Ohio including in Butler County.

Candidate information

Name: John J. Kulewicz
Party: Democratic
Office sought: Ohio Attorney General
Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
Opponent: Keith Faber (Republican)
Background: Grew up in Columbus, Ohio. His parents and grandparents came from Martins Ferry and Cincinnati, according to his campaign website.
Education: Bachelor's degree in history, The Ohio State University (1976); juris doctor, Yale Law School (1979)
Published work: Kulewicz said he published the book "An Ohioan's Odyssey: Lessons in Leadership, Law, and Public Service."

At Yale Law School, Kulewicz was an editor of the Yale Law Journal, according to his campaign website.

Experience and public service

Kulewicz clerked for the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit from 1979 to 1980, according to BallotReady. He then spent more than four decades as an associate and partner at the law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, from 1981 to 2024.

He has served on the Upper Arlington City Council since 2020. That record is central to his campaign. In his two campaigns for that seat, Kulewicz said he was the leading vote-getter both times. He said his re-election drew more votes than any Upper Arlington City Council candidate in a contested election since the city adopted its charter seven decades ago.

Kulewicz said he has served on the boards of the Columbus Zoo, Catholic Social Services, the Ohio Historical Society and the Ohio Bicentennial Commission. He also said he served as president of the Columbus chapter of the Federal Bar Association.

On the issues

Consumer protection: Kulewicz said he plans to combat price-fixing monopolies and take on predatory lending, price gouging, robocalls, Medicaid provider and nursing home fraud, and scam artists targeting vulnerable communities.

Reproductive rights: Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio endorsed Kulewicz, citing his commitment to upholding the Reproductive Freedom Amendment in the courts and ensuring every Ohioan can access the care they need. The group said Kulewicz was involved in protecting health care coverage in the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court case Marietta Memorial Hospital Employee Health Benefit Plan v. DaVita Inc., according to a Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio statement.