“We are all in this together and we’ll make this state a better place to live when we’re working together boldly to make the lives of our neighbors, our friends and our family members the best that they can be,” Whaley said.
Related: Whaley running for Ohio governor in 2018
Brown and Page said Whaley has a track record of action, such as offering pre-K programming to all Dayton children.
“It’s time that we support leaders who are fresh and vibrant, who will work tirelessly to rebuild the middle class, provide affordable health care, foster great schools, guarantee high-quality pre-K and bring in high-paying careers, not just jobs,” said Brown. “No one quite understands what it takes to get it all done like mayors do.”
Page praised Whaley for filing a lawsuit against drug makers over how they marketed addictive painkillers and for equipping Dayton’s first responders with Narcan, a drug that reverses an opiate overdose.
Related: Some believe Cordray would be the frontrunner if he jumped in
Whaley, who is also running for re-election as mayor, is seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the governor’s race. She is up against former state representative Connie Pillich of Cincinnati, state Sen. Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman, and former U.S. Congresswoman Betty Sutton of Akron. Former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray, who now heads the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, may also jump into the Democratic primary.
Whaley said even if Cordray gets into the race, she won’t drop out.
Related: Who has the most money in Ohio’s governor race now?
On the Republican side, contenders are Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor of Green, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted of Upper Arlington, U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci of Wadsworth and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine of Cedarville.
When asked if she’s working to win the endorsement of Liz Brown’s father, Whaley said, “I think Senator Brown has a really big race of his own….It’s really important that he win that race.”
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