2018 OH Governor's race: on Crime

John Kasich: Spared 7 death-row inmates; executed 15 more

Kasich "appreciates the gravity of this authority and therefore carefully considers these cases to make decisions that further justice," said a spokesman. Ohio resumed executions in 1999 under Gov. Bob Taft after a 36-year gap. Taft said he's now opposed to capital punishment except in the most severe cases.

Sparing inmates is not the political death knell it might have been in decades past, thanks to concerns about innocence raised by DNA testing and the role of severe mental illness on some offenders' behavior. "Kasich's decisions to commute reflect a societal shift away from an unquestioning belief in the value of the death penalty or at least the value in every case," said a University of Dayton law professor.

Ted Strickland: Spared 5 death-row inmates; executed 17 more

Ohio resumed executions in 1999 after a 36-year gap. Sparing inmates is not the political death knell it might have been in decades past, thanks to concerns about innocence raised by DNA testing and the role of severe mental illness on some offenders' behavior. "Kasich's decisions to commute reflect a societal shift away from an unquestioning belief in the value of the death penalty or at least the value in every case," said a University of Dayton law professor.

Strickland said he doesn't think he paid a political price for his commutations, which he tried to use "as judiciously and appropriately as I could."

Connie Pillich: Worked as public defender, and challenged predatory lenders

Connie worked as a public defender and later opened her own law practice where she challenged predatory lenders on behalf of vulnerable senior citizens.

Jim Renacci: Opposes capital punishment

John Kasich: Black Lives Matter means the system doesn't work for them

So when Kasich met with The Post's editorial board, I had one question: When you hear the phrase "Black lives matter," what do you hear? "Well, what I hear is that there are people that are in this country who think the system not only doesn't work for them," he said, "but it works against them."

Kasich then unleashed a torrent of information on everything he had done for the African American community. There was the commission to heal the fractured trust between police and people of color. He talked about efforts to reform the schools and welfare. And he boasted about signing a law to "ban the box" and reducing prison recidivism.

John Kasich: Police must understand challenges of black community

What struck me as a breath of fresh air was really Kasich being consistent. What he told us was in keeping with what he has been saying for months now, [like this excerpt from a] CNN interview last August]: "Black lives matter, especially now, because there's a fear in these communities that, you know, justice isn't working for them. But it's about balance. The community has to understand the challenges of police, and the police have to understand the challenges of the community."

There's something about that "especially now" that reveals a person who heard his constituents and understands their fears and concerns. This is exactly where the Republican Party ought to be in 2016. Working on tough issues and expanding the reach of the GOP while adhering to its conservative principles.

John Kasich: Ban the box: no criminal history check on job applications

Earlier this month, the Ohio Senate voted overwhelmingly, on a 32-1 vote, to "ban the box" for public-sector jobs. Under the bill, a public employer would still be allowed to do a background check and reject applicants with recent or relevant offenses. But the record check gets done later in the process, usually after an interview. The bill does not apply to people seeking private employment.

Kasich earlier instructed the state's human resources department to "ban the box" in June, by voluntarily adopting the Ohio Justice & Policy Center and Ohio Organizing Collaborative's recommendations.

Richard Cordray: Endorsements by law enforcement reflects his efforts as AG