By Nathan Leaf
Enquirer Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - Democratic attorney general candidate Leigh Herington doesn't have a lot of money or name recognition with voters, but he does have a song.

"Who's super tough, has the stuff to be our next AG?" his folksy jingle asks. "Herington - that's Leigh."

The problem is, very few people may ever hear it. Mr. Herington of Ravenna, the Ohio Senate minority leader, faces a big challenge in State Auditor Jim Petro, a Cuyahoga County Republican.

Mr. Petro has more than $3 million at his disposal while Mr. Herington has only raised $300,000. Although a statewide ad campaign costs millions, Mr. Herington said he will run television ads to counter those of his better funded opponent.

The Ohio Poll, done by the University of Cincinnati in September, shows Mr. Petro well ahead with 58 percent to Mr. Herington's 31 percent.

As attorney general, Mr. Herington says, he would push the Environmental Protection Agency to do more to protect consumers instead of businesses. He also said he would keep a critical eye on other Republican office holders.

Mr. Petro said he would ask lawmakers to grant him greater powers to seek restitution for victims of securities fraud. He also wants authority to suspend lawmakers or public officials who face criminal indictments.

The attorney general is the state's top legal counsel and duty-bound to represent the state. Mr. Herington has been critical of the state's position that the funding system is fair. He notes Republican-backed proposals have yet to end Ohio's school-funding lawsuit. The legal battle began in 1991 when a group of schools alleged that Ohio's school-funding system was unconstitutional because it relied too heavily on property taxes. The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled three times that increased spending is needed to make the system constitutional.

"There's no real excitement from the Republican Party to settle that case," Mr. Herington said. "I believe there is an opportunity there for bringing the parties together."

Mr. Petro disagrees and said the attorney general is not allowed to change state policy. He says Attorney General Betty Montgomery - who cannot run again because of term limits - has handled the case appropriately.

"(As attorney general) you represent the interests of the state even when you may disagree with the policy that you're defending," he said.