Those who know Whaley – former colleagues and aides, friends, and a former boss – painted a similar picture of her: gregarious, straightforward, compassionate and driven.
Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley, a 2022 candidate for governor, during a visit to Sandusky earlier this year. COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Nan Whaley has been in politics for about half her life – first as a volunteer, then a staffer, and finally as an elected official rising to become mayor of Dayton for eight years.
Propelled into the spotlight by a 2019 mass shooting, the 46-year-old lifelong Democrat, who left the mayor’s office last year, is now running for governor a second time. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.