In Ohio's gubernatorial primary, Democrats make a hard tilt to the left

In the middle of the country, in a moderate, swing-state, Democratic voters have an active, vibrant primary on their hands.

Four Democratic candidates have been battling to prove their progressive credentials in Ohio as they contend for their party’s nomination in the upcoming gubernatorial race this fall. Their primary showdown will likely be one of the more closely-watched contests Tuesday night as primary voters in four East Coast and Midwest states head to the polls.

The former director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Democrat Richard Cordray, and former Democratic congressman and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, have been snagging most of the headlines and high-profile endorsements in the race as of late.

Cordray threw his name in the ring early on and has enjoyed steadfast support from Massachusetts’s Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who helped form the CFPB and hand-picked Cordray for the job. Warren campaigned for Cordray in Ohio this spring and talked about him as a valued colleague.

“In Ohio, Rich isn't going to be on the ballot alone," Warren wrote in a fundraising email for Cordray last fall. “The consumer agency will be there right along with him. There will be a lot of people who take shots at the agency to undermine Rich. I want to make sure he has the resources he needs to fight back and defend the agency.”

While Cordray has been quick to pitch ideas for universal pre-k, health care, and clean energy, his primary opponent has dogged him over the issue of gun control.

Campaigning around the state, Kucinich, 71, has been seen wearing an “F” pin on his lapel to signal to voters his grade from the National Rifle Association. On the trail, he has hit Cordray for being softer on the issue.

Kucinich backs an assault-weapons ban. Cordray has supported more incremental gun safety measures, like universal background checks.

Kucinich has name-recognition in the state and nationwide, and, though he entered the race late, he has steadily has picked up endorsements from progressive groups.

In a rare break from the Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders’ political advocacy group, ‘Our Revolution,’ endorsed Kucinich. The former mayor proposed a Medicare-for-all health care plan for the state a few weeks ago and won an endorsement from National Nurses United union, an active group that backed Sanders’ presidential run.

Ohio’s sitting governor, moderate Republican John Kasich, has reached his term limits, so there are active primaries underway in both parties. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Kasich’s Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor have been battling it out in the Republican primary and largely distanced themselves from Kasich and his policies.

Chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, David Pepper, told ABC New he is not worried about his candidates eking too far to the left. Pointing to issues like the state budget, tax cuts and protecting the Medicaid expansion that Kasich put in place, Pepper argued that the Democratic candidates’ views were middle of the road in the state.

“I think our candidates have basically run as who they are,” Pepper told ABC News over the phone. “I think our candidates are positioned in the Ohio mainstream with a lot more overlap with John Kasich than the current Republican candidates have.”

WATCH LIVE ON TONIGHT: You can watch livestreaming coverage of all the primary action starting at 7 p.m. ET on ABCNews.com or on the ABC News app available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Apple TV App Store, and Roku Channel Store.

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