COLUMBUS, Ohio — The two Democratic gubernatorial candidates announced their running mates Wednesday. 

Former mayors John Cranley of Cincinnati and Nan Whaley of Dayton are trying to unseat Gov. Mike DeWine in November.

Whaley chose to team up with Cuyahoga County Council Vice President Cheryl Stephens.

"I am so excited that Cheryl Stephens is the one that standing beside me today,” said Whaley. “You know, this is a leap, and, you know, running statewide is no easy thing to do.”

Stephens, a former mayor herself of Cleveland Heights, has served on council the last three years. She said she is incredibly dependable.

"You heard me talk about family,” said Stephens. “If family is important and you will do anything to save your family, then you should be willing to do anything to save Ohio and make its future better.”

Together, Whaley and Stephens said they want to root out corruption at the Statehouse, specifically pointing to scandal surrounding to the passing of House Bill 6 and the federal investigation that has followed.

"Our party has to be clear about where we stand on this issue and we must repeal House Bill 6,” Whaley said. “The vast majority of Democrats voted against House Bill 6.”

Cranley also announced his running mate Wednesday, State Sen. Teresa Fedor, D-Toledo. She did vote for House Bill 6. Fedor, who has served in both chambers at the Statehouse the last 22 years, said it is her biggest regret.

"If I would have known then what I know now, I would not have voted for this,” said Fedor. “I had over 800 families who had jobs that were directly related to this bill, and, you know, we took a long time. It was a long discussion all the way through the process. So I voted for jobs.”

Cranley first announced Fedor in her backyard of Toledo on Wednesday morning. The two also made stops in Cleveland and Columbus. Cranley said he chose Fedor because she has dedicated her life to public service.

"One of the longest ever Democratic women in the General Assembly of service,” he said. “Accomplishing things with Republicans, fighting for survivors of human trafficking, fighting against the unemployment scandal. She has always stood for those who had no one else to fight for them.”

Cranley said he wants to fire the commissioners on the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio on the first day of his administration. Also, he wants to create thousands of jobs paying at $60,000 per year by putting taxes on recreational marijuana.

Fedor, a veteran and former Toledo Public Schools teacher, said it is the leadership Ohio has been lacking.​

"There's so many people who are hurting at the bottom and no one cares in that governor's office, nobody cares,” said Fedor. “And I've seen it day in and day out. So I'm stepping up, joining my friend who has the experience, the accomplishment and the goal and the vision for Ohio that we need. And your children are going to be better off.”

While Cranley and Whaley have both raised more than a million dollars, it could be tough for either to beat DeWine. Not only has the governor outraised them, but he also decades of statewide public service experience.

Neither Cranley nor Whaley have any.​

There are also two Republican candidates running against DeWine in the GOP primary, former Congressman Jim Renacci and farmer Joe Blystone.​