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Keith Faber

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Keith Faber
33rd Auditor of Ohio
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 12, 2019
GovernorMike DeWine
Preceded byDave Yost
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
from the 84th district
In office
January 3, 2017 – January 7, 2019
Preceded byJim Buchy
Succeeded bySusan Manchester
In office
January 3, 2001 – January 2, 2007
Preceded byJim Buchy
Succeeded byJim Zehringer
94th President of the Ohio Senate
In office
January 7, 2013 – December 31, 2016
Preceded byTom Niehaus
Succeeded byLarry Obhof
Member of the Ohio Senate
from the 12th district
In office
January 2, 2007 – December 31, 2016
Preceded byJim Jordan
Succeeded byMatt Huffman
Personal details
Born (1966-01-19) January 19, 1966 (age 60)
Troy, Missouri, U.S.
PartyRepublican
SpouseAndrea Faber
Children2
EducationOakland University (BA)
Ohio State University (JD)
OccupationLawyer, Politician

Keith Faber (born January 19, 1966) is an American lawyer and politician from Ohio. A Republican, he has been State Auditor of Ohio since 2019. He's currently the Republican nominee for Ohio Attorney General[1]. He was formerly a member of the Ohio House of Representatives (2001–2007 and 2017-2018), elected from the 84th district, and then a member of the Ohio State Senate (2007–2016), elected from the 12th District. He was president of the Ohio Senate from 2013 to 2016.

Life and career

[edit]

Faber earned a Bachelor of Science in public administration and policy from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, in 1988, and a Juris Doctor from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in 1991.[2][3]

Faber went on to found Faber & Associates, a civil litigation and mediation firm in Celina.[2] He has served on the Ohio State Bar Association's Public Understanding of the Law Advisory Board and the editorial board of Ohio Lawyer Magazine, and belongs to the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys and the Defense Research and Trial Lawyers Association.[2][4]

Ohio House of Representatives

[edit]

With incumbent Jim Buchy unable to run for another term in the House in 2000, Faber sought to replace him. He faced a primary race with fellow Republican Terry Haworth, and won by about 1,300 votes.[5] He defeated Democrat Bill Sell in the general election by about 14,000 votes.[6] He won reelection in 2002, 2004, and 2006 before being term-limited out.

Ohio Senate

[edit]

In January 2007, the 12th senate seat district in the Ohio Senate was vacated by Jim Jordan, who had been elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Faber won the support of Senate Republicans and took the seat in the Senate in February 2007.[7] Faber was one of seven candidates who sought to replace Jordan. Soon after the appointment, Senate President Bill Harris appointed Faber to the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee. Faber won election to the seat in his own right on November 4, 2008, and was reelected in 2012.[7]

Opening of Congressman Jim Jordan's Sidney office in 2007. From left-to-right: John Garmhausen, State Senator Keith Faber, State Representative John Adams, Mayor Frank J. Mariano, City of Sidney, City Councilman Steve Hamby, Doug Borchers, Congressman Jim Jordan

Faber served as vice chairman of the Senate Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Government Oversight, and as a member of the budget-writing Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee. He also represented the Senate on the State Ballot Board, the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, and the Legislative Service Commission board.[8]

For the 128th General Assembly, Faber served as Senate majority floor leader, and in the 129th General Assembly, he served as president pro tempore under Senate President Tom Niehaus.[9][10] As President pro tempore, Faber was also vice chairman of the Senate Rules and Reference Committee.[11] Faber won reelection to a second term in 2012, defeating Libertarian Paul Hinds with 79.07% of the vote.[12] Faber served as the 94th President of the Ohio Senate throughout his last term in the upper chamber, before being ineligible to run again in 2016 due to term limits at which point he was succeeded by Larry Obhof.[7]

Legislative record as Senate President

[edit]

According to his official legislative biography, Faber's priorities as Senate President included reducing state regulatory filings, cutting the state income tax, lowering the small-business tax rate, and creating the "Ohio Higher Education Challenge," a program intended to reduce the average cost of a degree at Ohio's public colleges and universities.[8]

Return to the Ohio House of Representatives

[edit]

In 2016, Faber returned to the state house as a state Representative, winning the election with 83% of the vote against Democrat Ed Huff in the 2016 general election.[13] Faber's return was again timed with Jim Buchy's retirement, in what perhaps strategically opened up the seat for Faber, who himself was term-limited from his seat in the Senate.[citation needed]

Auditor of State

[edit]
Faber speaking at a rally in 2018

Campaign

[edit]

In February 2017, Faber announced his intention to run for Ohio Auditor of State. He ran unopposed for the Republican nomination after his only potential opponent, Ohio Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberger, decided against challenging Faber in the May 2018 primary.[14][15][16] During his campaign, Faber emphasized performance audits to promote government efficiency.[17]

Faber faced former U.S. Representative Zack Space, the Democratic nominee, in the 2018 campaign for state auditor.[18] In October 2018, the Associated Press published an investigation revealed that Faber and his businesses incurred penalties for tax delinquencies between 2008 and 2015 across multiple properties and years and in two counties.[18] Before Faber's tax payment history came to light, Faber had run digital ads attacking Space for his two tax penalties in 2005 and 2008.[18] Both candidates cited administrative errors as the reason for the late payments. Space's campaign accused Faber of hypocrisy. Faber’s bookkeeper took responsibility for the delays.[18]

On November 6, 2018, Faber was elected State Auditor.[19] Faber received 49.66% of the vote, defeating Space, who received 46.28%.[16]

Tenure

[edit]

Faber was first inaugurated as auditor on January 12, 2019.[20] He was inaugurated for a second term on January 9, 2023, joined by his family and sworn in by newly elected chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court Sharon Kennedy.

Ohio Redistricting Commission

[edit]

As Auditor of State, Faber has served since 2019 on the seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission, which draws the state's legislative and congressional district maps alongside the governor, secretary of state, and four legislative appointees.[21]

In 2024, Faber was among the commission's Republican members who opposed a proposed constitutional amendment that would have transferred map-drawing authority to an independent citizens commission; voters rejected the amendment that November.[22]

In October 2025, Faber joined the rest of the commission in unanimously adopting a new congressional map ahead of the 2026 elections, after an earlier proposal drew a threatened repeal effort.[23]

Fraud investigations and recoveries

[edit]

As of August 2026, the Special Investigations Unit of Faber's office has secured 165 convictions on 376 criminal charges, resulting in 284 findings for recovery totaling $28,667,204.[24][needs independent confirmation]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Faber's office was among the first state auditors to examine fraud within a state's unemployment compensation system, finding that tens of thousands of claims had been paid out to prisoners and deceased individuals; Faber estimated the state had made more than $5 billion in improper unemployment payments overall.[25]

2026 Attorney General campaign

[edit]

Faber announced his campaign for Attorney General of Ohio on January 27, 2025, citing his background as a lawyer, legislator, and state auditor.[26] He ran unopposed in the Republican primary, receiving the endorsement of the Club for Growth PAC in August 2025 and won the May 5, 2026 primary uncontested.[27]

Two-term incumbent Attorney General Dave Yost was term-limited and did not seek reelection.[28] Yost resigned early, effective June 7, 2026, to take a position with the Alliance Defending Freedom.[29] Governor Mike DeWine appointed Andy Wilson, the state's public safety director to fill the vacancy over Faber. DeWine said he had considered naming Faber, but that doing so would likely have required a chain of further appointments, since Faber's move would open the auditor's office, currently held by Secretary of State Frank LaRose's opponent-turned-successor pipeline, with Treasurer Robert Sprague next in line behind that, and that installing multiple statewide officeholders this way, six months before a general election, "just seemed not the right thing to do."[30][31]

Faber faces Democratic nominee John Kulewicz, an Upper Arlington city councilor and attorney, in the November 3, 2026 general election.[32]

During the campaign, Faber has said his priorities include supporting law enforcement, including additional resources for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in counties without their own crime labs; continuing the anti-corruption and anti-fraud work he began as auditor; and consumer protection, including assistance for Ohioans with denied health insurance claims.[33][34]

Electoral history

[edit]
Ohio House: Results 2000 to 2006
Year HD Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct
2000 77 Bill Sell 18,232 36.2% Keith Faber 32,132 63.8%
2002 77 Ben Amstutz 9,483 24.16% Keith Faber 28,353 76.84%
2004 77 Betsy Marshall 17,131 30.2% Keith Faber 39,600 60.8%
2006 77 Betsy Marshall 15,522 34.82% Keith Faber 29,060 65.18%
2016 84 Ed Huff 9,607 16.62% Keith Faber 48,191 83.38%
Ohio Senate: Results 2008 to 2012
Year SD Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct Independent Votes Pct Libertarian Votes Pct
2008 12 Thomas Matthew 46,273 28.98% Keith Faber 106,637 66.79% Jack Kaffenberger 6,750 4.23%
2012 12 None Keith Faber 111,694 78.84% Paul Hinds 29,974 21.16%
Auditor of State: Results 2018-2022
Year Democrat Votes Pct Republican Votes Pct Libertarian Votes Pct
2018 Zack Space 2,006,204 46.28% Keith Faber 2,152,769 49.66% Robert C. Coogan 175,790 4.06%
2022 Taylor Sappington 1,683,216 41.25% Keith Faber 2,397,207 58.75%

Personal life

[edit]

Faber is married to Andrea Faber, and together they have two children. They reside in Celina, Ohio. He has a long-time private legal practice in Celina.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Bischoff, Laura (January 27, 2025). "Republican Keith Faber announces run for Ohio attorney general". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved June 18, 2026.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. 1 2 3 "Ceremony Speaker: Mr. Keith Faber" (PDF). University of Toledo. May 10, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2026.
  3. ↑ "About Auditor Keith Faber". Ohio Auditor of State. Retrieved September 1, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Keith Faber". Ballotpedia. Retrieved September 1, 2026.
  5. ↑ Blackwell, Kenneth 2000 primary election results Archived 2011-06-27 at the Wayback Machine (2000-03-07)
  6. ↑ Blackwell, Kenneth 2000 general election results Archived 2011-06-27 at the Wayback Machine (2000-11-07)
  7. 1 2 3 "Keith Faber". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Sen. Keith Faber, Ohio 2013–2014 – Legislative Tracking". PolicyEngage/TrackBill. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Sen. Keith Faber, Ohio 2013–2014 – Legislative Tracking". PolicyEngage/TrackBill. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  10. ↑ "News Archives - Urbana Daily Citizen". Urbana Daily Citizen. Archived from the original on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2010-12-23.
  11. ↑ "Area's state lawmakers take leadership spots".
  12. ↑ Husted, Jon 2012 general election results Deprecated link archived 2012-12-04 at archive.today (2012-11-06)
  13. ↑ "Faber passes gavel; sworn in as state rep". 4 January 2017. Retrieved 2017-01-08.
  14. ↑ "House speaker Rosenberger ponders run for Ohio auditor". 24 October 2017.
  15. ↑ Mary Kilpatrick, House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger says he won' run for state auditor, Cleveland.com (October 30, 2017).
  16. 1 2 2018 Official Election Results, Ohio Secretary of State.
  17. ↑ Roger LaPointe (September 16, 2018). "Faber campaigns on vigilance". Sentinel-Tribune. Archived from the original on September 18, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Julie Carr Smyth (October 12, 2018). "Tax penalty questions swirl in race for Ohio auditor". Associated Press.
  19. ↑ "GOP state Rep. Keith Faber elected as Ohio auditor". WTTE. Associated Press. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
  20. ↑ Friday kicks off inaugurals for new Ohio officeholders, Associated Press (January 11, 2019).
  21. ↑ "Members". Ohio Redistricting Commission. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  22. ↑ Tebben, Susan (November 5, 2024). "Ohio voters reject Issue 1, leaving politicians in control over map-making process". Ohio Capital Journal. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Ohio Redistricting Commission cuts deal on map, averts repeal effort". The Statehouse News Bureau. October 31, 2025. Retrieved August 24, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Special Investigations Unit". Ohio Auditor of State. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Epic COVID fraud galls state watchdogs: 'The system failed at almost every conceivable level'". NBC News. April 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  26. ↑ Bischoff, Laura A. (January 27, 2025). "Republican Keith Faber announces run for Ohio attorney general". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  27. ↑ Kasler, Karen (August 27, 2025). "Club for Growth backs Faber for AG with first endorsement in 2026 elections in Ohio". The Statehouse News Bureau. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  28. ↑ Tebben, Susan. "Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost suspends campaign for governor". Ohio Capital Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  29. ↑ Trau, Morgan (May 11, 2026). "Governor Mike DeWine announces Andy Wilson as Interim Attorney General". Ohio Capital Journal. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  30. ↑ "DeWine names Andy Wilson as Ohio attorney general". News and Sentinel. May 13, 2026. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  31. ↑ "DeWine appoints new state attorney general". Tribune Chronicle. May 12, 2026. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  32. ↑ Pelzer, Jeremy (September 11, 2025). "Columbus-area lawyer joins Democratic race for Ohio attorney general in 2026". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Marysville moves forward to bring..." Marysville Matters. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  34. ↑ "Ohio Auditor Keith Faber Discusses Attorney General Campaign During Mercer County Fair Visit". WCSM Radio. August 15, 2026. Retrieved August 25, 2026.
[edit]
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