Dear Ohio,

It's never been about me.

Public service is in my blood—we talk in the Attorney General's office about doing “Big Good.” It's why I decided to offer myself as a candidate for governor.

It's also why I am suspending my campaign today.

The past couple of years of travelling around my beloved state have reconnected me with my roots: the incredible, resilient people and their work ethic, the rich history and breathtaking land, the engines of commerce and prosperity and learning. I will continue to serve them, perhaps for quite a while yet.

But it is also apparent that a steep climb to the nomination for governor has become a vertical cliff. I do not wish to divide my political party or my state with a quixotic battle over the small differences between my vision and that of my opponent. I am simply not that important.

Ideas do matter, though, and the comeback attempt by Sherrod Brown represents a real and present danger to Ohio's prosperity. Our state has challenges ahead, but we are not Washington, D.C. Columbus needs re-engineering, not demolition. Sherrod Brown and the risky progressive ideas of his party will unwind all of the good that the last 15 years of Republican leadership has brought.

This is a time to protect Ohio, not a time for a family squabble.

I’ve spoken at length with many people whose advice and wisdom I respect, and haven’t come to this decision quickly or easily. I am especially grateful to those who have pledged to climb the vertical cliff with me anyway, pitons and ropes. And thank you to all those of you who have prayed with and for me in this hour.

My term as Ohio Attorney General runs until January 2027. I will continue to fight for Ohio and Ohioans during that time—and I suspect that this is not my final chapter. There is fire in my bones for justice, and the unforced rhythms of grace in my heart (to borrow from the poet Eugene Peterson).

A final word for those who would receive it: Faith requires a recipient—one does not simply have faith, but has faith in someone or something. I urge you not to place your faith in any human leader, nor in the government, but in God. In Him is all my hope, and the source of my joy.

Yours in Liberty,

Dave Yost