Ohio Attorney General Resigns to Take Job With Conservative Nonprofit

About a year after dropping out of the Ohio Republican gubernatorial primary, Attorney General Dave Yost announced his resignation on May 7 to take a position in the private sector.

“I begin a new chapter June 8 as VP of Strategic Research and Innovation at the Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit law firm that’s won 18 cases at [the Supreme Court] in the last 15 years. I’ve been honored to serve Ohio, and will continue to fight for freedom!” Yost wrote in an X post.

Yost’s political career spans more than 25 years.

He was elected Delaware County auditor in central Ohio in 1999 and appointed county prosecutor in 2003. In 2010, he was elected Ohio state auditor and served two four-year terms, along the way attempting an unsuccessful run for attorney general against Mike DeWine, the current Ohio governor who is now tasked with naming his replacement.

Yost was elected to the attorney general post in 2018, and voters selected him to another term four years later.

He decided to run for governor last year. DeWine is term-limited. Last May, a week after the Ohio Republican Party voted to endorse President Donald Trump-backed Vivek Ramaswamy a year before the primary, Yost suspended his gubernatorial campaign.

In an email to supporters after that announcement, Yost said he will “continue to fight for Ohio” as attorney general through the end of his term in January 2027.

Earlier this week, Ramaswamy won the Ohio Republican gubernatorial primary and will face Democrat Amy Acton in the Nov. 3 general election.

Republican Keith Faber, who is currently the state auditor, will face Democrat John Kulewicz in a bid to replace Yost as attorney general in the general election.

On May 7, DeWine praised Yost for his “long career in public service” and addressed the step in naming a replacement.

“Having served as Ohio Attorney General, I know how important this office is and the great work done by its employees. I will give the appointment of someone to serve as Attorney General thoughtful and deliberate consideration,” DeWine said.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is “the world’s largest legal organization committed to advancing every person’s God-given right to live and speak the truth,” according to a May 7 press release from the organization.

The group has won 18 cases at the U.S. Supreme Court in the past 15 years, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the landmark decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, as well as multiple victories securing every American’s right to speak freely without government punishment, the press release noted.

“We are honored to welcome Attorney General Yost to ADF at this defining moment,” CEO Kristen Waggoner said, adding that Yost is “a proven, bold advocate of First Amendment freedoms who brings decades of government, policy, and litigation experience to the fight for truth—in the courtroom and the public square.”

Yost called the nation’s current climate “a moment of unprecedented change and uncertainty” and said that “the stakes for our foundational freedoms could not be higher.”

“ADF isn’t just responding to these threats—it’s leading the charge. I’ve been passionate about religious liberty, free speech, parental rights, and human dignity for a long time, and to now bring my legal and advocacy skills to bear alongside the best constitutional lawyers in the world is an extraordinary opportunity. I’m honored to join this renowned organization,” he added.

Yost’s attorney general tenure was highlighted by his brief in support of Trump’s move to invalidate mail-in ballots arriving after Election Day following the 2020 presidential election.

After the East Palestine, Ohio, toxic train derailment in 2023, Yost led two federal lawsuits, including a civil suit against Norfolk Southern to pursue costs related to cleanup and environmental damages. He also spearheaded legal action against Mike Peppel and the Ohio Clean Water Fund for allegedly collecting more than $141,000 in a fundraising campaign labeled as relief for East Palestine residents. The organization was ordered to reimburse more than $131,000 in donations.