A Democratic-backed group that opposes the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment released an advertisement praising House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) for the lack of a House floor vote on the resolution.
The group One Person One Vote praises Stephens (pictured above) in its advertisement for the lack of a House floor vote on the resolution and the August special election for voters to decide on it.
The advertisement claims that by not scheduling a vote on “SRJ 2,” Stephens is “standing up to out-of-state special interests who want to end majority rule and destroy our constitution to drown out our voices. But Speaker Stephens needs support. Tell him to keep fighting for our constitution and our freedom.”
According to Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis, One Person One Vote wasted their money on an advertisement where their political consultants cannot even get the correct name of the resolution Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 2.
“The idiotic dark money special interest group (“One Person One Vote”) and their dumb political consultants can’t even get the name of the resolution correct in their latest lame commercial – “SRJ2”? (What a waste of money),” Gonidakis said.
State Representative Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) echoed Gonidakis, calling the typo at the end of the video a “big oof.”
The measure, if approved, would mandate a 60 percent approval percentage for any future constitutional amendments, call for signatures from all 88 counties, and do away with the opportunity to “cure” petitions by collecting additional signatures if necessary.
The Ohio Senate has passed the resolution and voted to create a special August election for this issue. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said that he would sign a bill allowing an August special election to decide whether to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments if both chambers of the state legislature pass it. The resolution does not need his approval to go before voters.
The only remaining obstacle to the resolution’s passage is a vote on the House floor but time is running out as Speaker Stephens has not committed to a date for the vote and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said that lawmakers need to pass the legislation in both the House and Senate by Wednesday in order to place it on an August ballot.
State Representative Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) said that House Republicans have enough votes to pass the amendment.
“We have 60 votes in the House. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Just need it brought to the floor,” Ferguson said.
The One Person One Vote advertisement is airing in Columbus, Cincinnati, and Charleston, the media market where Stephens lives.
The advertisements release follows a newly formed political action committee (PAC), Save Our Constitution PAC, releasing their own advertisement urging lawmakers to vote on the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment and to set an August election for Ohio voters to decide on the proposed amendment.
“Our Constitution has been hijacked by special interests and legislators have an opportunity – and duty — to stop it by voting to put the Constitution Protection Amendment on the August ballot. Save Our Constitution PAC will be scoring this vote and we will ensure that Ohio voters in 2024 are informed about legislators who say yes to this important amendment to protect Our Constitution. And those who oppose it or prevent it from being brought to a vote will be held accountable by voters. Speaker of the House Jason Stephens has the power to protect Our Constitution,” Save Our Constitution PAC said.
Lawmakers controversially elected Stephens as speaker earlier this year to succeed State Representative Bob Cupp (R–Lima). The choice came despite the Republican Caucus‘ previous selection of State Representative Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) as the new speaker in November. Although the GOP caucus voted for Merrin as Speaker of the House in December, Stephens fought in collaboration with the Democrats to collect votes and garner a win.
According to Save Our Constitution PAC, it’s time for Stephens to stop collaborating with the Democrats and to vote with conservatives.
“Conservatives across Ohio are demanding action. It’s time for Speaker Jason Stephens to stop the liberal takeover of Ohio and vote with conservatives,” one advertisement says.
The legislation comes at a time when pro–abortion activists are working to pass a proposed constitutional amendment in November that would legalize abortion throughout the state.
A second proposed amendment that would eventually raise the state’s minimum wage will likely appear on a 2024 ballot.
– – –
Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “State Representative Jason Stephens” by State Representative Jason Stephens.
