In a race that features two able candidates for Ohio attorney general, The Dispatch believes State Treasurer Richard Cordray is the better choice.

Through his career in public office and in private practice as a lawyer, Cordray, a Democrat, has applied integrity, intelligence and initiative to every job.

His legal background is impressive. Former Attorney General Lee Fisher created the position of state solicitor for Cordray in 1993, modeling it after the federal solicitor general. In that post, he represented Ohio before numerous state and federal courts. In his career, he has argued six cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

As an officeholder, Cordray brings fresh thinking to bear on old problems. While serving as Franklin County treasurer, he used a variety of approaches to squeeze unpaid taxes out of scofflaws and collect revenues for the county. Some responded to simple letters from Cordray's office that warned he would file tax liens or report them to the Better Business Bureau, credit bureaus and local banks if they didn't pay overdue taxes. In other cases, he auctioned delinquent tax accounts to banks and other financial institutions.

After winning election in 2006 to the state treasurer's office, Cordray scoured the state's 168 bank accounts and recovered more than $888,000 in unpaid credits and fees. He saved Ohio $1.25 million by bringing outsourced work in-house.

He has launched consumer-finance-education programs, supported financial-literacy education and worked with other government officials to help Ohioans avoid losing their homes to foreclosure.

If elected, Cordray would serve the final two years of former Attorney General Marc Dann's term. Dann resigned on May 14 as a result of scandal.

Republican attempts to tie Cordray to Dann don't hold water. The two have virtually no history; they didn't coordinate efforts or even donate to each other's statewide campaigns in 2006 and made only perfunctory campaign appearances together.

The Republican in the race, Mike Crites, is a well-respected lawyer with a distinguished career in public service in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve and as a prosecutor for 21 years, including a seven-year stint as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio.

He also has served as law director and prosecutor for several Ohio cities and served a term on the Olen-tangy Local Board of Education. Crites is a worthy public servant, but cannot better Cordray's resume and long record of integrity and competence.

In the Nov. 4 election , The Dispatch urges the election of Cordray as Ohio attorney general.