Betty Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Betty Montgomery is an American politician from the state of Ohio
. A Republican
, she formerly served as Ohio State Auditor
.
where she chaired the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the Senate Judiciary Committee
. Montgomery worked on passing Ohio's first living-will
law.
Lee Fisher
for the job of Ohio Attorney General
. Montgomery was the first Republican attorney general in 24 years to hold the office. She faced an uphill battle against the very-popular Fisher. Montgomery campaigned on her record as a prosecutor. She narrowly defeated Fisher by a vote of 1,716,451 to 1,625,471. As Attorney General, Montgomery worked to increase funding for law enforcement and for more crime labs. She defeated Democrat Richard Cordray
for re-election in 1998, earning more votes than any other Republican candidate.
Chairman Robert Bennett
urged Montgomery to run for the job of state auditor. She swapped offices with then Auditor Jim Petro
, who was elected as attorney general. Montgomery defeated Democrat Helen Knipe Smith and became State Auditor in 2003. Montgomery was the top vote getter in the 1998 and 2002 state elections.
and Petro. After trailing both Blackwell and Petro in early polls, Montgomery dropped out of the governor's race to once again run for Attorney General. Her 2006 opponent in the general election was State Senator
Marc Dann
, who defeated Montgomery.
, she has challenged many liberal positions, most notably in her bid to end what she termed "inexcusable" legal delays in Ohio's system of capital punishment. However, Montgomery's positions were less of an issue in the 2006 campaign than was her slow action as auditor in investigating the BWC Coingate scandal of Tom Noe
, one of her campaign contributors. Marc Dann hit this note repeatedly in the 2006 campaign ads, and won a narrow victory over the relatively popular Montgomery.
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. A Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, she formerly served as Ohio State Auditor
Ohio State Auditor
The Ohio State Auditor is responsible for auditing all the public offices of the state of Ohio. The auditor is elected to a four-year term. The current Auditor is Dave Yost....
.
Prosecutor
Montgomery was elected Wood County Prosecutor in 1980. In 1988, she was elected to the Ohio SenateOhio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
where she chaired the Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the Senate Judiciary Committee
United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary
The United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary is a standing committee of the United States Senate, of the United States Congress. The Judiciary Committee, with 18 members, is charged with conducting hearings prior to the Senate votes on confirmation of federal judges nominated by the...
. Montgomery worked on passing Ohio's first living-will
Living will
An advance health care directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, or advance decision, are instructions given by individuals specifying what actions should be taken for their health in the event that they are no longer able to make decisions due to illness or...
law.
Attorney General
In 1994 Montgomery was urged by Republican Party leaders to challenge DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher
Lee Fisher was the 64th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, who served with Governor Ted Strickland from 2007 until 2011.He is a member of the Democratic Party.In addition to serving as Lt...
for the job of Ohio Attorney General
Ohio Attorney General
The Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Mike DeWine.-History:...
. Montgomery was the first Republican attorney general in 24 years to hold the office. She faced an uphill battle against the very-popular Fisher. Montgomery campaigned on her record as a prosecutor. She narrowly defeated Fisher by a vote of 1,716,451 to 1,625,471. As Attorney General, Montgomery worked to increase funding for law enforcement and for more crime labs. She defeated Democrat Richard Cordray
Richard Cordray
Richard Cordray is an American politician of the Democratic Party who last served as the Attorney General of Ohio. He has been chosen to run the enforcement division of the United States Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which officially began operating in July 2011...
for re-election in 1998, earning more votes than any other Republican candidate.
Auditor
By the end of 2001, Montgomery was term limited from being re-elected Attorney General. Ohio Republican PartyOhio Republican Party
The Ohio Republican Party is the Ohio state affiliate of the United States Republican Party. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio on February 13, 1854. Kevin DeWine has been chairman of the Ohio GOP since 2009...
Chairman Robert Bennett
Robert Bennett
Robert Bennett or Bob Bennett may refer to:* Robert Bennett , mayor of Melbourne, 1861–1862* Robert Russell Bennett , composer* Robert Bennett , 1948 Olympic bronze medalist in hammer throw...
urged Montgomery to run for the job of state auditor. She swapped offices with then Auditor Jim Petro
Jim Petro
James M. “Jim” Petro is an American politician from the Republican Party, and a former Ohio Attorney General. Previously, Petro also served as Ohio State Auditor. Petro was a candidate for the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio during the 2006 Ohio Primaries, but lost to Ken Blackwell...
, who was elected as attorney general. Montgomery defeated Democrat Helen Knipe Smith and became State Auditor in 2003. Montgomery was the top vote getter in the 1998 and 2002 state elections.
2006 Election
In 2006, Montgomery opted to run for Ohio Governor. During her campaign for governor, Montgomery challenged Ken BlackwellKen Blackwell
John Kenneth Blackwell is an American politician and activist who served as the mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio from 1979 to 1980 and Ohio Secretary of State from 1999 to 2007. A Republican, he was the first African-American to be the candidate for governor of a major party in Ohio. In 2006, Blackwell...
and Petro. After trailing both Blackwell and Petro in early polls, Montgomery dropped out of the governor's race to once again run for Attorney General. Her 2006 opponent in the general election was State Senator
State Senator
A state senator is a member of a state's Senate, the upper house in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a legislator in Nebraska's one house State Legislature.There are typically fewer state senators than there are members of a state's lower house...
Marc Dann
Marc Dann
Marc Dann Marc Dann Marc Dann (born March 12, 1962, in Evanston, Illinois, is an American politician of the Democratic Party. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1984 from the University of Michigan and a law degree in 1987 from Case Western Reserve University, and practiced law in Youngstown,...
, who defeated Montgomery.
Views
While Montgomery is known as more moderate on some social issuesSocial issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
, she has challenged many liberal positions, most notably in her bid to end what she termed "inexcusable" legal delays in Ohio's system of capital punishment. However, Montgomery's positions were less of an issue in the 2006 campaign than was her slow action as auditor in investigating the BWC Coingate scandal of Tom Noe
Thomas Noe
Thomas W. Noe is an Ohio Republican party fundraiser and activist, guilty of money laundering for the 2004 Bush-Cheney campaign and of theft and corruption in the "Coingate scandal"...
, one of her campaign contributors. Marc Dann hit this note repeatedly in the 2006 campaign ads, and won a narrow victory over the relatively popular Montgomery.