Leigh Herington is an Ohio

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...

 Democratic politician and a former member of the Ohio Senate

Ohio 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...

. Herington was a long-serving local attorney and Chairman of the Portage County Democratic Party

Portage County, Ohio

Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...

 when appointed to replace Senator Bob Nettle

Bob Nettle

Robert Nettle is a former member of the Ohio General Assembly. Nettle served as a member of the Barberton City Council for a number of years. Originally elected to the Ohio House of Representatives in 1976, Nettle went on to serve five terms in the lower chamber. In 1986, following the death of...

 in 1995, who had resigned. Up for election in 1996, Herington easily defended his seat in the primary battle against Barbara Sykes

Barbara Sykes

Barbara Sykes is a former Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives, representing the 44th District from to 2006.-External links:** profile*Follow the Money - Vernon Sykes** campaign contributions...

, and went on to win the general election. Easily winning reelection in 2000, Senate colleagues soon after voted to make Herington minority leader, the highest post in the caucus. In 2002, Herington was mentioned as a potential candidate for Ohio Governor, but declined.

Facing term limits in 2004, Herington announced in 2002 that he would run for 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:...

. He ended up losing to incumbent 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...

. Soon after, in 2003, Herington resigned from the Senate, citing term limits and the desire to run for a Portage County

Portage County

Portage County is the name of two counties in the United States:* Portage County, Ohio* Portage County, Wisconsin...

judicial position. Herington went on to lose a bid for Portage County Common Pleas Judge. He has since served in various aspects of the community, notably for NOPEC.