Governor
At kids’ forum, DeWine talks budgets; Whaley attacks
After Gov. Mike DeWine finished his piece on how he’d help Ohio’s kids if re-elected, he quietly slipped out through a rear door without taking questions from the press. An hour later Nan Whaley, his Democratic challenger, made a similar case, albeit a feistier one sharply critical of the incumbent, who she depicted as kowtowing […]
GOP gubernatorial candidate shares photo of self in front of swastika
Update, 1:40 p.m.: After this article was published, Blystone removed the photo in question from social media. Also, a union depicted in the photo said it did not endorse Blystone and doesn’t know who’s holding the swastika. A longshot candidate challenging Ohio’s incumbent governor in a Republican primary shared a photo of himself in front […]
In town hall, Renacci embraces culture wars in primary against DeWine
In a televised town hall, Jim Renacci made a case steeped in conservative culture wars as to why he should represent Ohio Republicans as a gubernatorial candidate. During the 30-minute event, the former congressman blamed “illegal immigrants” for record drug overdose deaths in Ohio; pledged to take on “critical race theory;” and criticized what he called […]
Dem gubernatorial interviews: Cranley talks ‘energy dividends,’ guns, health and wealth
For every lump of coal or cubic foot of natural gas taken from Ohio’s underground, John Cranley wants to give some of the wealth back to the people at the surface. A former Cincinnati mayor now running for governor as a Democrat, Cranley proposes raising the severance tax — which is paid in Ohio by […]
Dem Gov interviews: Nan Whaley on vaccines, guns, dark money, and abortion
If keeping children in school full-time is the goal, it only makes sense to require the COVID-19 vaccine the same way schools require vaccination against polio, measles, and other shots for enrollment, said Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley. “Kids need to stay in school no matter what,” said Whaley, a two-term Dayton mayor who’s quickly […]
Democrats go after DeWine in gubernatorial debate
Two former mayors seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination shared the debate stage Tuesday, talking political corruption, energy policy, gun violence and more. Rather than spar with one another, former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and former Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley trained their words on incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine. Through an hour of back and forth, the […]
Who funded Ohio Statehouse politics in 2021?
Education and construction unions, natural gas utilities, the beer and wine industry, optometrists, car dealers, telecommunications firms, nursing home operators, doctors’ associations and others dumped money into lawmakers’ accounts in 2021. These funds set the stage for the maiden elections on yet-to-be finalized maps setting the district lines. (The Ohio Supreme Court overturned the GOP-passed […]
DeWine made written policy ‘promises’ to the gun lobby. Will he keep them?
In 2018, Gov. Mike DeWine told the gun lobby, in writing, that he’d deliver as governor on two major firearms bills if they reached his desk. One expanded the use of lethal force in self defense. The other allowed Ohio adults to carry concealed weapons without training or a background check. About a year later, […]
FBI suspected Dayton Mayor Whaley of bribery in 2014, court documents show
The FBI suspected Dayton Mayor and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Nan Whaley in 2014 of accepting cash bribes from a city contractor, according to unsealed search warrant applications filed in federal court. Whaley was not charged with any crime and the U.S. Department of Justice has closed the investigation. The warrants detail sworn statements from FBI […]
DeWine signs bill blocking Ohio cities from banning natural gas
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into state law Thursday legislation that blocks cities or counties from banning natural gas or propane hookups to decarbonize new buildings. This makes Ohio one of 19 states that have either passed what’s known as a natural gas “preemption” bill into law or will do so soon upon gubernatorial approval, according […]
26% of unvaccinated Ohioans are hesitant to take the COVID-19 shot, research says
About 1 in 4 unvaccinated Ohioans are hesitant to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a large-scale, nationwide survey of Facebook users. More than 26% of Ohioans surveyed Feb. 21 to Feb. 27 said they will “probably not” or “definitely not” take the vaccine, ranking Ohio the 17th most vaccine-hesitant state in the nation. The […]
DeWine asked for gun control. Lawmakers gave him a ‘make my day’ bill.
The Ohio Senate passed a “stand your ground” bill Friday, sending to Gov. Mike DeWine a proposal that would rescind a requirement that gun owners first seek to elude a confrontation before responding with bullets. If passed, Senate Bill 175 would hand a major victory to gun advocacy groups like the National Rifle Association and […]