- Jennette Bradley
from 2005 to 2007.
Bradley earned a bachelor's degree from
Wittenberg University inSpringfield, Ohio . After working as an executive at a banking company, Bradley served as a member of the city council ofColumbus, Ohio , for 11 years.In 2002,
Governor of Ohio Bob Taft ran for re-election but his lieutenant governor,Maureen O'Connor , ran for theOhio Supreme Court . Taft replaced her with Bradley, a decision that sparked protests from his own party on the grounds Bradley was too liberal, having supported abortion and homosexual rights. The Taft-Bradley ticket easily defeated the Democratic challengers,Tim Hagan andCharleta Tavares and Bradley became Ohio's first African-American lieutenant governor and the first African-American woman to serve as Lt. Governor in the United States. (The 2002 election marked the first time that both candidates for lieutenant governor were black women.)After taking office, Bradley was appointed by Taft to head the
Ohio Department of Commerce , theClean Ohio Council , and theOhio Housing Finance Agency . In 2004, the governor also appointed Bradley to the "Jobs Cabinet." Following the resignation ofJoseph T. Deters as state treasurer, Taft appointed Bradley to the post, effective January2005 . However, Bradley was defeated by a conservative challenger in the May 2006 Republican primary election.Bradley's husband is Michael Taylor.
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.