Cracked BuckeyeCracked Buckeye

Person

Ed FitzGerald

Democratic · Former Cuyahoga County Executive, 2011–2015 · born 1968

Work
FBI special agent assigned to the Organized Crime Task Force in Chicago in the 1990s.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Work
Legislative staff assistant for U.S. Representative Edward Feighan and Indiana Secretary of State Evan Bayh while in law school.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Work
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor after returning to Ohio in 1998.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Education
B.A., Ohio State University, 1990; J.D., Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University, 1993.

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Home
Lakewood, Ohio.

Source: signalohio.org

Ballotpedia · Wikipedia

9 of 11 sections researched

12 sources · 2013, 2014 · updated 2026-09-24

Not yet researched: Financial interests, Endorsements.

What has been checked
  • Profile 9 entries Checked Wikipedia for education, his FBI and legal career, and early legislative staff work, and a July 2025 Signal Ohio article confirming his current Lakewood residence and 2026 congressional candidacy. Ballotpedia's page returned no retrievable content via automated fetch. He is a declared 2026 congressional candidate but was never a sitting member of Congress, so bioguide.congress.gov and history.house.gov do not apply.
  • On the ballot 0 entries The 2014 race is complete; no pending candidacy is published for it.
  • Where they stand 3 entries
  • What they have said, checked 1 entry
  • Record in office 3 entries
  • Money 1 entry The research archive found no single confirmed full-cycle total for either candidate in this state race; the closest sourced checkpoint figures are published instead.
  • Financial interests Not yet researched
  • Polling and approval 1 entry
  • Elections 1 entry
  • Endorsements Not yet researched
  • Sources 10 entries
Coverage, by section9 of 11 sections researched.Profile: 9 entriesOn the ballot: 0 entriesWhere they stand: 3 entriesWhat they have said, checked: 1 entryRecord in office: 3 entriesMoney: 1 entryFinancial interests: Not yet researchedPolling and approval: 1 entryElections: 1 entryEndorsements: Not yet researchedSources: 10 entries9 of 11 sections researched · 12 sources
Coverage, by section9 of 11 sections researched.Source: Cracked Buckeye coverage record for Ed FitzGerald, 9 of 11 sections researched · as of 2026-09-24 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
SectionState
profileresearched
ballotresearched
positionsresearched
claimsresearched
recordresearched
moneyresearched
interestsnot researched
pollingresearched
electionsresearched
endorsementsnot researched
sourcesresearched

Correct this page · hello@crackedbuckeye.com

Ed FitzGerald
City Club of Cleveland, via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0
Where they are on the ballotOn the ballot for Governor of Ohio.Ed FitzGerald: Governor of Ohio, Democratic
Where they are on the ballotOn the ballot for Governor of Ohio.Source: U.S. House districts of the Ohio Redistricting Commission plan of October 31, 2025 · as of 2026-09-24 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
ChamberDistrictNote
StatewideAll of OhioGovernor of Ohio

On the ballot

None found in the records checked

The voting scheduleNo race is pending for Ed FitzGerald in the calendars on file.None found in the records checked
The voting scheduleNo race is pending for Ed FitzGerald in the calendars on file.Source: ohiosos.gov · as of 2026-11-03 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
Status
None found in the records checked

Where they stand

Education

Paraphrase of a linked source, not their words:

Proposed a large state-funded universal preschool program, reported at roughly $500 million, as a signature policy plank.

2014 · 2014 campaign, per the research archive

Source: Ed FitzGerald

Taxes

Paraphrase of a linked source, not their words:

Attacked Gov. Kasich's income-tax cuts as regressive, arguing they delivered larger dollar savings to wealthier Ohioans while the sales-tax increases Kasich signed alongside them fell disproportionately on lower-income Ohioans.

2014 · 2014 campaign, per the research archive

Source: Ed FitzGerald

Voting access

Paraphrase of a linked source, not their words:

Opposed Kasich-signed election-law changes that cut early voting days and limited distribution of absentee ballot applications, framing the changes as suppressing Democratic-leaning turnout.

2014 · 2014 campaign, per the research archive

Source: Ed FitzGerald

What they have said, checked

Record in office

Record in office, dated entries3 record entries from 2012 to 2013; 3 of them actions; 2 offices held on the record.2010FitzGerald (D)Cuyahoga County Executive, 2011-01-09 to 2015-01-01Mayor of Lakewood, Ohio, 2008 to 20112012-10-13 (action): Found by Westlake, Ohio police at approximately 4:30 a.m. sitting in a parked car with a member of a visiting Irish economic-development del2013 (action): As Cuyahoga County Executive, reduced non-courthouse county payroll headcount by roughly one-fourth (from about 5,092 employees in 2010 to a2013-11-20 (action): Named Ohio state Sen. Eric Kearney of Cincinnati as his lieutenant governor running mate; Kearney withdrew three weeks later, on December 10
Record in office, dated entries3 record entries from 2012 to 2013; 3 of them actions; 2 offices held on the record.Source: Cracked Buckeye person record for FitzGerald (D), 3 dated entries · as of 2013-11-20 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
PersonDateKindEntry
FitzGerald (D)2011-01-09officeCuyahoga County Executive
FitzGerald (D)2008officeMayor of Lakewood, Ohio
FitzGerald (D)2012-10-13action2012-10-13 (action): Found by Westlake, Ohio police at approximately 4:30 a.m. sitting in a parked car with a member of a visiting Irish economic-development del
FitzGerald (D)2013action2013 (action): As Cuyahoga County Executive, reduced non-courthouse county payroll headcount by roughly one-fourth (from about 5,092 employees in 2010 to a
FitzGerald (D)2013-11-20action2013-11-20 (action): Named Ohio state Sen. Eric Kearney of Cincinnati as his lieutenant governor running mate; Kearney withdrew three weeks later, on December 10

  1. action November 20, 2013

    Named Ohio state Sen. Eric Kearney of Cincinnati as his lieutenant governor running mate; Kearney withdrew three weeks later, on December 10, 2013, amid controversy over more than $1,000,000 in state and federal tax liens against him, his wife and their business. FitzGerald then selected Dayton-area attorney Sharen Swartz Neuhardt as his new running mate.

    Source: Ed FitzGerald

  2. action 2013

    As Cuyahoga County Executive, reduced non-courthouse county payroll headcount by roughly one-fourth (from about 5,092 employees in 2010 to about 4,534 by 2013) and created the county's first unified, countywide pay scale and employee-evaluation system.

    Source: 11 actions Ed FitzGerald, Cuyahoga County's first executive, will be remembered for

  3. action October 13, 2012

    Found by Westlake, Ohio police at approximately 4:30 a.m. sitting in a parked car with a member of a visiting Irish economic-development delegation who is not his wife; no charges were filed. Subsequent reporting found he had not held a valid regular Ohio driver's license for roughly a decade, and a county Inspector General review found he had violated county policy and committed "a breach of the public trust" by driving a county vehicle without a valid license.

    Sources: Inspector General: Ed FitzGerald violated county policy by driving without a license · The remarkable implosion of Ed FitzGerald

Money

Where the money went, as filedEd FitzGerald $2.6M on hand as of September 2014.Ed FitzGerald: Cash on hand, $2.6M as filed, as of 2014-09Cash on hand$2.6MIn, as filedWhere it went, as filed
Where the money went, as filedEd FitzGerald $2.6M on hand as of September 2014.Source: Ohio Secretary of State campaign finance filings, through 2014-09 · as of 2014-09 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
FromToDollarsShare of totalNote
Money, as filedEd FitzGerald $2.6M on hand as of September 2014; 1 filing on file.2014 GovernorRaisedEd FitzGerald, 2014 Governor: raised not yet researchedNot yet researchedSpentEd FitzGerald, 2014 Governor: spent not yet researchedNot yet researchedCash on handEd FitzGerald, 2014 Governor: cash on hand $2.6M as filed with the Ohio Secretary of State, as of 2014-09$2.6M
Money, as filedEd FitzGerald $2.6M on hand as of September 2014; 1 filing on file.Source: Ohio Secretary of State campaign finance filings · as of 2014-09 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
GroupItemUSDNote
2014 GovernorRaisedNot yet researched
2014 GovernorSpentNot yet researched
2014 GovernorCash on hand2,600,000
Itemized contributions from inside Ohio, share of all itemizedNo filing on file for Ed FitzGerald breaks itemized contributions down by state.None found in the records checked
Itemized contributions from inside Ohio, share of all itemizedNo filing on file for Ed FitzGerald breaks itemized contributions down by state.Source: fec.gov · as of 2026-11-03 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
Status
None found in the records checked

Totals as filed

RaceFilerRaisedSpentCash on handAs of
Governor of Ohio OhioSOS $2,600,000September 2014

Sources: Kasich, FitzGerald report campaign coffers · The remarkable implosion of Ed FitzGerald

Donors, as filedNo itemized donor is on file for Ed FitzGerald yet.None found in the records checked
Donors, as filedNo itemized donor is on file for Ed FitzGerald yet.Source: fec.gov · as of 2026-11-03 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
Status
None found in the records checked

Outside spending

Outside spending, as reportedNo outside spending is on file for or against Ed FitzGerald yet.None found in the records checked
Outside spending, as reportedNo outside spending is on file for or against Ed FitzGerald yet.Source: fec.gov · as of 2026-11-03 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
Status
None found in the records checked

Financial interests

Not yet researched

Polling and approval

Polls, Governor of Ohio, as published1 field date from October 1, 2014 to October 1, 2014; the latest has FitzGerald at 35.0%25%50%75%100%Oct 2014NovElection dayEd FitzGerald 35% - Quinnipiac University Poll, 2014-10-01 - likely votersField date
Polls, Governor of Ohio, as published1 field date from October 1, 2014 to October 1, 2014; the latest has FitzGerald at 35.Source: Cracked Buckeye poll log for Ed FitzGerald, 1 poll, as published by Quinnipiac University Poll · as of 2014-10-01 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
Field dateCandidateSharePoll
Oct 1, 2014Ed FitzGerald35Quinnipiac University Poll, likely voters

Elections

Election results, share of the vote1 race on file, 0 won; shares from 33.0% to 33.0%.2014 GovernorEd FitzGerald, Governor of Ohio: lost, 33.0%33.0%
Election results, share of the vote1 race on file, 0 won; shares from 33.0% to 33.0%.Source: Ohio Secretary of State, official canvass, 2014 · as of 2014 · Download this chart
The numbers behind this figure, as a table
GroupItemPCTNote
2014 Governor33.0
RacePartyResultVotesShare
Governor of Ohio (2014) DemocraticLost 1,009,359 33.0%

Offices held

  • Cuyahoga County Executive · 2011-01-09 to 2015-01-01 · elected

    Source: Ed FitzGerald

  • Mayor of Lakewood, Ohio · 2008 to 2011 · elected

    Source: Ed FitzGerald

Endorsements

Not yet researched

Sources

Data from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0: Ed FitzGerald · 2014 Ohio gubernatorial election

Every URL on this page, once each.

  1. Ed FitzGerald · Ballotpedia · accessed 2026-09-19
  2. Ed FitzGerald · Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-19
  3. 2014 Ohio gubernatorial election · Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-19
  4. Ed FitzGerald accuses Gov. John Kasich of pay-to-play politics · PolitiFact · 2013-05-02 · accessed 2026-09-19
  5. Inspector General: Ed FitzGerald violated county policy by driving without a license · Fox 8 Cleveland WJW · accessed 2026-09-19
  6. The remarkable implosion of Ed FitzGerald · The Washington Post · 2014-08-26 · accessed 2026-09-19
  7. Kasich, FitzGerald report campaign coffers · MyTownNEO · 2014-09-05 · accessed 2026-09-19
  8. Kasich Stomps FitzGerald In Ohio Gov Race · Quinnipiac University Poll · 2014-10-01 · accessed 2026-09-19
  9. 11 actions Ed FitzGerald, Cuyahoga County's first executive, will be remembered for · Cleveland.com (reprint) · 2014-12-31 · accessed 2026-09-19
  10. Roll the Numbers: Gov. John Kasich Raising Money at 28 Times the Rate of Ed FitzGerald · Cleveland Scene · 2014-10-07 · accessed 2026-09-19
  11. https://signalohio.org/ohio-democrat-ed-fitzgerald-launches-political-comeback-a-decade-after-blowout-in-governors-race/
  12. Campaign finance filings search · Ohio Secretary of State · accessed 2026-10-15

Cite and data

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Ed FitzGerald", https://crackedbuckeye.com/people/ed-fitzgerald/, built 2026-11-03, accessed [date].

How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-11-03

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