Republican David Yost defeats Pepper for Ohio auditor

11/3/2010

COLUMBUS — Republican David Yost has defeated his well-funded Democratic opponent to become the next Ohio auditor.

Yost kept the office Republican by defeating Democrat David Pepper, a Hamilton County commissioner and son of a former Procter & Gamble Co. chief executive.

Yost's victory means a seat on the state's powerful apportionment board, which will draw state legislative districts next year. The party with the most seats on the five-member board can craft the districts to its own advantage, influencing state elections until 2021.

Yost — a prosecuter and former auditor in Delaware County — will fill the office being vacated by Republican Mary Taylor, who dropped her re-election bid to run for lieutenant governor.