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                                                                  Exhibit 23 (a)





                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS



We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" and to the
use of our report dated May 16, 2001, in Pre-effective amendment No. 2 to the
Registration Statement on Form S-11 and related Prospectus of Huntington
Preferred Capital, Inc. for the registration of 2,000,000 shares of its
Noncumulative Exchangeable Perpetual Preferred Securities.




                                          /s/ Ernst & Young LLP



Columbus, Ohio
August 13, 2001