Dr. Amy Acton
A weekend of protests in Columbus following Dobbs decision
Over the weekend protesters rallied in demonstrations large and small voicing their opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade. Saturday afternoon a couple dozen people gathered near the end of a sleepy street in Beechwold. Demonstrators brought bullhorns, pots and pans, even a vuvuzela, and organizers handed out pamphlets describing what […]
Dr. Acton, former state health director, will not run for U.S. Senate
Dr. Amy Acton, the former state health director who led Ohio’s pandemic response in its early months, announced Tuesday she will not enter the race to fill Republican Rob Portman’s seat in the U.S. Senate. Acton was considered to be a potential leading candidate for the Democratic Party primary. In a provided statement, Acton called […]
Ohio politicians condemned for pandemic comparisons to Nazi Germany
To Ohio lawmaker Kris Jordan, the mask requirement and the roll out of optional COVID-19 vaccines are two steps toward an American genocide like that of the Holocaust during World War II. “It’s just a mask, wear it. It’s just a shot, take it,” reads a March 31 Facebook post from Rep. Jordan, a Republican […]
Health orgs. backed Ohio’s pandemic response, then gave $ to politicians working to undermine it
As Ohio lawmakers considered a bill last November to allow themselves to strike down public health orders, a handful of organizations banded together to state their unequivocal opposition. “Now is not the time to let up. The public health crisis is not over,” the organizations told lawmakers. This disagreement in a matter of life and […]
Former state treasurer Josh Mandel to run for U.S. Senate
Former state treasurer Josh Mandel announced Wednesday he is running for U.S. Senate, becoming the first major candidate to jump into the race to replace Sen. Rob Portman. Mandel, a Republican, served two terms as state treasurer and previously ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate against Sherrod Brown in 2012. He briefly campaigned to challenge […]
Mailbag: Will any Ohio lawmakers run for Rob Portman’s seat?
Welcome back to another installment of the Mailbag, the only column in Ohio that politicians are giving serious consideration to reading. Let’s get to it! Got a question about Ohio politics/government? Send them by email to [email protected] or tweet them to @tylerjoelb. Anyone in the Ohio legislature looking at running for Sen. Rob Portman’s seat? […]
There were many efforts to change Ohio election laws in 2020, but few succeeded
More Ohioans voted in the 2020 General Election than in any other election in state history. Elections officials, voter rights advocates and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are still looking into ways to improve voting access for the years to come. There were numerous legislative efforts to change Ohio’s elections system in big […]
Pandemic — and Trump — hang heavily over Ohio
Despite what President Donald Trump says, Ohio seems far from rounding the bend on coronavirus. And his statements appear to be making it harder to fight the disease.
Ohioan reports being recruited for plot targeting Gov. DeWine at his home
Note: This story has been updated. A Miami County resident reported to police being recruited to take part in a citizen’s arrest of Gov. Mike DeWine at his Cedarville home a week ago, but the plot evidently never materialized. The plot is alleged to have involved Renea Turner, a former write-in candidate for governor who […]
The search continues for a new state health director, DeWine says
Gov. Mike DeWine acknowledges that whoever takes over as state health director may face a torrent of criticism just as Dr. Amy Acton did earlier this year. That’s not a challenge unique to Ohio, the governor also said, vowing the state would continue searching for a permanent replacement to lead the department of health. DeWine […]
Mailbag: Householder’s future, preventing future corruption, and drop boxes
“Can you explain why the @ohiogop voted to keep (Larry Householder) in office claiming they couldn’t remove him next time? Can’t they as the #supermajority just pass a bill to fix that?”
Conservative lawmakers have spent the pandemic targeting DeWine. Now they want to impeach him.
Bill Bader Jr. was fed up. A health order signed by Gov. Mike DeWine had forced his race track to close. Bader threatened to reopen without the state’s permission, which got him in some hot water. He felt frustrated and that nobody would listen. Enter state Rep. Paul Zeltwanger. The Republican lawmaker from Mason serving […]