A potential GOP contender to run for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024 declined to run for the seat.
U.S. Representative Warren Davidson (R-OH-08) informed supporters on Tuesday that instead of pursuing the U.S. Senate seat held by Brown he will run for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has delayed the executions of three death row inmates citing ongoing issues with pharmaceutical drug suppliers for the state’s lethal injection method.
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Four environmental groups have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block a new law requiring Ohio to accept private petitions to drill for oil and gas beneath state parks.
House Bill (HB) 507 which Republicans passed at the end of the 134th General Assembly modified Ohio’s code so that state agencies must lease the properties they hold for oil and gas extraction, as opposed to just allowing them to. The legislation also instructed the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission to create a set of guidelines for applications.
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A bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced legislation to end the death penalty in Ohio.
Senate Bill (SB) 101 sponsored by state Senators Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus), and Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) aims to remove the death penalty in Ohio and instead pursue life without parole for capital crimes.
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Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose told The Ohio Star that he is actively considering running for U.S. Senate against Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.
“I’m giving it a lot of thought. No announcements yet,” LaRose told The Star.
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The Abortion Fund of Ohio (AFO) launched the “Legal Access Program” on February 3rd that will undermine parental rights in Ohio. This program aims to help minors get abortions without parental consent in addition to provide free legal guidance, case management, and link patients with pro bono attorneys.
An unemancipated minor in Ohio under 18 years old may not obtain an abortion unless one of her parents or her guardian has given written consent or she obtains a court order known as a judicial bypass, in which case the judge authorizes the procedure. The Legal Access Program is Ohio’s first judicial bypass program.
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Ohio Senate Republicans are making another attempt to overhaul the state education system and the Board of Education by introducing a bill Wednesday afternoon that reconsiders a proposition that fell short of approval last month.
The 2,000-page bill, Senate Bill (SB) 1, sponsored by state Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), would “restructure” the Ohio Department of Education, create a new administrative division under the governor’s office, and reduce the duties of the State Board of Education. This was the first introduced bill of 2023.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R) on Sunday signed legislation allowing Ohioans who acquired occupational licenses in other states to utilize their credentials in the Buckeye State.
Eighteen states, including neighboring Pennsylvania, already recognize occupational licenses that their residents received elsewhere. For years, a coalition of free-market organizations, including the Columbus-based Buckeye Institute, have urged Ohio lawmakers to adopt the same policy to ease burdens on workers and make the state more economically competitive.
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Summit County Republican Party Chairman and statewide party Vice-Chair Bryan Williams officially announced his candidacy for chairman of the Ohio Republican Party on Wednesday in a letter to state central committee (SCC) members.
The Ohio Republican Party’s central committee is meeting on January 6th to consider selecting a replacement for current Chairman Bob Paduchik who announced after the November 8th general election that he would not be seeking another term.
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The General Assembly approved a Republican-backed bill aimed to require governmental evidence-retention entities to test rape kits when investigating human trafficking cases through the criminal justice reform package that passed last week.
House Bill (HB) 390 sponsored by state Representatives Marilyn John (R-Shelby) and Laura Lanese (R-Grove City) applies to the current state law for preserving and cataloging evidence of sexual assault examination (SAE) kits for victims and survivors of human trafficking.
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Within 24 hours of presenting the idea, Ohio Senate Republicans passed legislation on Wednesday that aims to expand the ability to drill for oil and gas on state-owned lands.
A 2011 state law gave state agencies the power, if they choose, to lease out state lands for oil and gas exploration and production. However, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission has been slow to approve any projects. Former Governor John Kasich signed that bill into law but didn’t appoint anyone to the commission for years. Under Governor Mike DeWine, the commission has met more often but has not approved leases.
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Death-penalty abolitionists in Ohio this week are organizing a campaign to persuade lawmakers to end capital punishment in their State.
The nonprofit No Death Penalty Ohio is hosting letter-writing parties in various cities throughout the week in support of a state House bill and an identical state Senate bill to ban executions. While Republicans often support capital punishment and control both legislative chambers, the bills have some GOP support. State Senator Stephen Huffman (R-Dayton) is cosponsoring the Senate measure alongside Senator Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) while Representative Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) is spearheading the House legislation with Representative Adam Miller (D-Columbus).
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Figures from the Republican Party’s voter database indicate many voters who traditionally have aligned with the Democrats voted in Ohio’s Republican primary on May 3 in which Gov. Mike DeWine handily won nomination for another term.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) database rates voters on a scale of one to five in terms of their allegiance to either the Republican or the Democratic Party. Mainly, the GOP takes into account which party’s primaries Ohioans have voted in historically, though other data are weighed as well.
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Tuesday morning on Always Right with Bob Frantz, weekday mornings on AM 1420 The Answer, host Frantz welcomed Ohio senate candidate Josh Mandel to the show to announce how he’s been endorsed by Ted Cruz and taking on the Republican bosses in the US Senate.
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Before the 2018 midterm elections, Trump’s political advisors were thinking about the president’s re-election bid and noticed a curious commonality among incumbent presidents who didn’t get re-elected: they all faced challengers from within their own party.
Five U.S. presidents since 1900 have lost their bids for a second term. William Taft lost to Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover lost to Franklin Roosevelt, Gerald Ford lost to Jimmy Carter, Jimmy Carter lost to Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush lost to Bill Clinton. While each election is determined by unique factors, all five of these failed incumbents dealt with internal party fights or serious primary challenges.
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The Ohio Republican Party (ORP) will select its next leader Friday when the State Central Committee (SCC) members cast their votes for chairman.
SCC members will meet in person at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center or join the meeting virtually. The SCC currently has 65 members who are eligible to vote as opposed to their traditional roster of 66 – one seat is vacant. The Ohio GOP leader will be decided by a simple majority vote.
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Rob Portman’s U.S. Senate seat is up for grabs after the establishment Republican announced he would not run for re-election in 2022. Portman cited gridlock and more time with family as primary reasons driving his decision to step away from federal politics – ending his 33 year career since his first political job as a legal aid to President George H.W. Bush in 1989.
Following the announcement, the Ohio rumor mill swirled with talk about many prospective Republican replacements.
Jim Jordan (R-OH-4) is a strong Trump advocate and member of the House Freedom Caucus who has represented Ohio in D.C. since 2007. His spokesperson said the congressman was honored by the overwhelming support to run for U.S. Senate but is solely focused on representing Ohio’s Fourth District and would not be running.
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Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders is reportedly making a push to be nominated as labor secretary in a potential Joe Biden administration, sources told Politico.
Sanders is interested in having a position in Democratic presidential nominee Biden’s potential cabinet, an unnamed person close to the Vermont senator told Politico Thursday evening. Sanders, who was former Vice President Biden’s main rival during the 2020 Democratic primaries, has specifically expressed interest in leading the Department of Labor, according to the source.
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Republican John Kasich, who served as Ohio’s governor from 2011-2019 and ran in the 2016 Republican presidential primaries, delivered a speech on the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) Monday.
Kasich, who refused to support Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election, spoke to the current political division in America, saying that “America is at a crossroads.”
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Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a Republican and frequent Trump critic, has been approached and is expected to speak at the Democratic National Convention on Biden’s behalf next month, according to a person with direct knowledge of the plans who insisted on anonymity to discuss strategy. Kasich is among a handful of high-profile Republicans likely to become more active in supporting Biden in the fall.
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Matt Borges has been censured by the Ohio Republican Central Committee for working to defeat President Donald Trump and ensure Joe Biden wins the election.
Borges is the former chairman of the Ohio Republican Party. However, he has been running the Right Side PAC to support Biden, The Plain Dealer reported. The party said they took the action as well due to an FEC violation and Borges’ continued criticism of Trump. They also stripped his “chairman emeritus” status.
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Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich is partnering with former Secretary of State John Kerry for “World War Zero” climate conversations.
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State representative candidate Joe Dills may have been unendorsed by the Ohio Republican Party — but the question on many people’s minds is why he was endorsed in the first place, when the state party leader once said she would steer clear of making endorsements in primaries and that she wanted to unite the party.
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JobsOhio has received a clean audit for its most recent fiscal year, but what does that mean?
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Even as John Kasich took over the governor’s office in January 2011, he had his eyes set on privatizing the State of Ohio’s economic development functions. A year after he left office, his brainchild, JobsOhio, sails ahead to new frontiers.
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Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich defended his decision to support the impeachment of President Trump during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Friday, saying it is “crazy” to say Trump did nothing wrong.
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An alumnus of former Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s presidential campaign has joined George Conway in launching a new never-Trump super PAC with the explicit purpose of “defeating President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box.”
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Failed leadership in the past has caused Ohio to become one of the ‘most left’ states in America thanks to failing infrastructure, slow job creation and lethargic wage growth. The state simply isn’t competitive in the race to attract and retain businesses, and its showing. Since leaving Congress in January, I have been listening to Ohioans in cities and rural areas alike that feel angry, tired and frustrated. They want to know why our neighbors are winning and why Ohio is missing out on the Trump economy. I tell them all: we can thank John Kasich.
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Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich said on CNN this week that he doesn’t “see the path right now” for mounting a successful challenge against President Donald Trump in the Republican primary.
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NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio – Janet Folger Porter hosted a raucous victory party for the Heartbeat Bill on Friday, May 31st. After more than eight long years, obstructionism by some ‘Republicans’ and many heartbreakingly close calls, the Heartbeat Bill, Senate Bill 23, became law on April 11, 2019. Janet Porter began pushing for the law, which prohibits abortions once a baby’s heartbeat can be detected, in Ohio in 2010. The first bill was introduced in 2011. Since then, 9 states have adopted some version of the bill: Arkansas (2013), North Dakota (2013), Iowa (2018), Mississippi (2019), Kentucky (2019), Ohio (2019), Georgia (2019), Missouri (2019) and Louisiana (2019). Through her organization, Faith2Action, Janet motivated a nation to respect life once again. A tireless juggernaut for the unborn, the adjectives describing Porter never stopped. Relentless, courageous, fearless were just a few of them. But she made it clear this night was not about her. Friday’s victory party was all about the heroes behind the Heartbeat Bill, and there were dozens. Awards were handed out to interns, key players behind the scenes, an intern’s mother (who dropped everything to drive a State Representative to the House because just one more vote was needed),…
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by Chuck Ross A top “Never Trump” Republican strategist who has called for “sanctions on steroids” against the Russian government has registered as a lobbyist for a Russia-owned nuclear energy firm that is seeking to relax sanctions. John Weaver, a strategist for former Republican presidential candidate John Kasich, registered as a foreign agent of JSC Technabexport on May 10, according to documents filed with the Justice Department. According to his filings, Weaver will be paid $350,000 to provide strategic advice and to lobby Congress and the Trump administration regarding a variety of issues, including “sanctions or other restrictions in the area of atomic (nuclear) energy.” It’s a stunning about-face for Weaver, who has been a vocal critic of Trump and a leading proponent of the theory that the Republican is under the influence of Russia. https://twitter.com/jwgop/status/809198779303952384 https://twitter.com/jwgop/status/814573012829798405 https://twitter.com/jwgop/status/817187381912674306 https://twitter.com/jwgop/status/818999399200264193 https://twitter.com/jwgop/status/819000711358849024 https://twitter.com/jwgop/status/1089667236749561857 Weaver acknowledged in an interview with BuzzFeed that his new role is “counterintuitive and confusing” given his criticism of Trump and Russia. He also said on Twitter that he was “shocked” when he was approached to work for Tenam, an American subsidiary of JSC Technabexport. He claimed that his efforts to stave off sanctions against JSC Technabexport, which…
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Gov. Mike DeWine told the media Monday morning that he has asked his team to draft a red-flag bill to send to the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Former Gov. John Kasich repeatedly lobbied for red-flag legislation in the state, and refused to sign a controversial “Stand Your Ground” bill at the end of last session because it didn’t include such a provision. After another fatal shooting over the weekend, DeWine seems to be following in Kasich’s footsteps. “I am deeply concerned about what we are seeing in this country in regards to attacks on houses of worship,” DeWine said. “This is something that has to be deplored, I deplore – it’s sickening. People who go to worship certainly have the right to believe they are going to be safe.” According to The Columbus Dispatch, the comments were unprompted by reporters’ questions, but opened the floor up to discussion of a potential red-flag bill. “I have asked my team to work on that—trying to get a red flag law that can pass. That’s my goal,” DeWine said. The last time he spoke about the topic was in January before being officially sworn into office. “Well, I’ve talked about this during the…
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Former Gov. John Kasich was on CNN Wednesday to discuss former Vice President Joe Biden’s anticipated presidential bid, which was made official Thursday. “Well, listen. There will be no intimidation factor if he were to go head-to-head against Donald Trump. I think he’s rearing for this fight,” Kasich said, noting that “age means less today than it did.” “I mean, you can be older as long as you’re vigorous and you can generate some new ideas. Do I think Joe can do it? Absolutely,” he continued. “He was a vital part of the Obama administration, and he led in a number of areas when he became frustrated with the president. So, look, I know the guy really well, and he’s a lot of fun, but I got to tell you, he does talk a lot.” Kasich said that he expects Biden’s campaign will be “full of life,” and said the former vice president is “going to hug.” “He does that. He talks a lot. But, you know, he’s going to connect, and he’s going to hug, and he’s going to shake hands. You know, he’s just going to be full of life,” Kasich said. I've known @JoeBiden for many…
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Former Gov. John Kasich called President Donald Trump’s latest immigration plan “wacky” and “just crazy” during a CNN interview Friday morning. The Washington Post reported Thursday night that Trump was once again considering a plan to release migrants into self-declared sanctuary cities. Trump confirmed the report in a pair of tweets Friday morning. “Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong consideration to placing illegal immigrants in sanctuary cities,” Trump said. “Only the radical left always seems to have an open borders, open arms policy—so this should make them very happy.” Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 12, 2019 Trump touted the idea again during a White House event Friday afternoon, according to The Hill. “We can give them an unlimited supply [of migrants] and let’s see if they’re so happy,” he said. “They say ‘we have open arms.’ They’re always saying they have open arms. Let’s see if they have open arms.” Speaker of…
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Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich discussed his differences with the president in a recent interview ahead of a speaking appearance at Drew University in New Jersey. After leaving office, Kasich joined CNN as a political commentator and has announced his sixth book, which will be released in the fall. As The Ohio Star reported, he’s also started a new non-profit with several prominent Trump critics, but Kasich claims that his feuds with the president aren’t personal. “Not personally. Go back and take a look at the things I’ve done. It’s been very issue-based. My difference with President Trump is he has been in a position where he’s appealed to his base,” Kasich told USA Today in a recent interview. “I’m more of a uniter than a divider. I don’t like to fight with other people. That’s kind of where our differences are. But as far as calling him names and things like that, I’ve never done.” Kasich said he’s only critical of the president when he “deserves it,” and pointed to the recent controversy surrounding federal funding for the Special Olympics as an example. “I’m not setting myself up to be a Trump critic. But if I have a voice…
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Former Gov. John Kasich has launched a new non-profit with several fellow never-Trumpers and is planning to release his fifth book amid endless speculation that he may make another run for the White House. Almost immediately after leaving the Ohio Governor’s Residence, Kasich announced that he was joining CNN as a senior political commentator. Now he has launched a non-profit with several prominent Trump critics called “Two Paths America,” based on the title of his 2017 book “Two Paths: America Divided or United.” “A dozen of America’s most prominent thought leaders have been named as members of a new National Advisory Committee for Two Paths America, helping to promote center-right solutions to some of the major issues facing our nation,” the non-profit’s website states. Among those who have joined the effort are Bill Kristol, former editor-at-large of the now-defunct Weekly Standard, former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, and former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman. “Two Paths America is a non-profit 501(c)4 organization created to promote reasonable and proven solutions to America’s challenges,” the group’s website states. “Two Paths America is focused broadly on public policy that encourages a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States…
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Ohio’s Future Foundation Chairman and former Congressman Jim Renacci hosted a forum on the gas tax Monday evening with Greg Lawson of The Buckeye Institute and Paul Lewis of the Eno Center for Transportation. Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) has been pushing for an 18-cent gas tax increase, which Monday night’s panelists think might be too high. Although a controversial subject, the panelists were in agreement on one thing: the state government needs to be smarter with how it spends its money. “I think the real opportunity is to focus on trying to make our transportation institutions more efficient and a lot of that has to do with investing smartly, not necessarily focusing on big, expansive projects, but more doing the things that voters are actually looking for, which is roads that are well maintained, buses that run on time—kind of the run-of-the-mill stuff that isn’t as exciting as a new highway or some kind of new big project, but it’s the thing that people care about everyday. It’s really kind of focusing on asset management and taking better care of what we have,” Lewis said. Lawson agreed with the sentiment, and encouraged politicians not to get “hung up” on the…
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by Michael Bastach Former Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich said that while the Green New Deal might not be the right answer to global warming, “it’s asking the right question.” “But for all those problems, the Green New Deal is serving an important purpose by provoking a more vigorous level of public debate,” Kasich wrote in a USA Today op-ed published Monday. “We’ve finally reached a tipping point.” The Green New Deal, introduced by Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey in February, calls for sweeping changes that achieve “net-zero” emissions in 10 years. Some Democratic 2020 hopefuls endorse the bill, but many moderate Democrats are hesitant to embrace it on worries it’s not feasible to fundamentally transform society so quickly. Republicans oppose the bill’s massive government takeover of the economy. Kasich, who’s mulling a 2020 presidential run against President Donald Trump, wants moderates in both parties to come up with an alternative to the Green New Deal. “It’s time for free-market moderates on both sides of the aisle to come up with answers of their own,” Kasich wrote in his op-ed, embracing carbon pricing, fuel economy mandates and subsidies for electric vehicles. Kasich’s op-ed comes after the…
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio House version of the infamous heartbeat bill will get its first hearing Tuesday morning in the House Health Committee. The bill was introduced by State Reps. Ron Hood (R-78) and Candice Keller (R-53), and has 48 cosponsors. Two previous iterations of the bill cleared the Ohio House and Senate, but both were vetoed by former Gov. John Kasich. Gov. Mike DeWine, however, said in January that he would “absolutely” sign the heartbeat bill into law if it makes it to his desk. Hood, who will testify before the House Health Committee Tuesday morning, was also a lead sponsor of 2018’s heartbeat bill. After it passed the House, he called it “the vehicle that is needed to revisit Roe v. Wade.” “The House passage of the bill is a critical step in that long-awaited process. I am confident that this bill will protect tens of thousands of innocent lives with detectable heartbeats it if becomes law,” he added. The current version of the bill, HB 68, would take things one step further by establishing a Joint Legislative Committee on Adoption Promotion and Support. According to the bill, this committee would be authorized to “review or study…
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by Michael Bastasch Former Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich, a potential 2020 opponent for President Donald Trump, has a pitch for Republicans: back global warming policies that are favored by Democrats. “This is like a call to arms. Let’s have conservatives have a discussion instead of being in denial that this is a problem. You can’t just be a science denier,” Kasich told Axios in an interview released Tuesday. Kasich sat down with Axios to preview a speech he’s set to give at Canada’s University of British Columbia. The former governor said his views on global warming had evolved from his 2016 presidential run. Kasich will use his speech to lay out what he calls “centrist” policies aimed at global warming, including pricing carbon dioxide emissions — possibly through “cap-and-trade,” which failed to pass Congress roughly a decade ago. Since then, opposition against pricing carbon among Republicans seems to have hardened. House Republicans overwhelmingly voted in 2018 for a resolution opposed to carbon taxes, though a handful of GOP lawmakers do support such policies. Kasich will also call for subsidies for renewable energy, electric cars and other technologies. Axios noted that “Kasich says he took advantage of an existing…
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Minnesota’s Senate Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detected in a pregnant woman’s unborn child. Senate File (SF) 869 was introduced Thursday and is co-sponsored by five Republican state senators, including Sens. Andrew Mathews (R-Milaca), Mark Koran (R-North Branch), Justin Eichorn (R-Grand Rapids), Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake), and Michelle Benson (R-Ham Lake). “Except in the case of a medical emergency, a physician must first test a pregnant woman to determine if a fetal heartbeat is detectable in the pregnant woman’s unborn child before performing an abortion,” the bill states. “A physician shall not perform an abortion on a pregnant woman when it has been determined that the unborn child has a detectable fetal heartbeat, except in the case of a medical emergency.” If passed, violation of the bill would result in a gross misdemeanor punishable by “imprisonment for not more than one year or payment of a fine of not more than $3,000 or both.” Such bills are commonly referred to as “heartbeat bills” and have been introduced in several other state legislatures across the country. Ohio legislators, for instance, attempted to pass their own version of a heartbeat…
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by Chris White Former Vice President Joe Biden remains the best option Democrats have at beating President Donald Trump heading into the 2020 election, according to a poll of Iowa voters published Saturday. Biden would beat Trump in a squeaker, pulling in 51 percent of the vote to the president’s 49 percent, Emerson College found in a survey. The poll’s results show other Democratic candidates have their work cut out for them in terms of name recognition. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Kamala Harris of California earned enough support in the survey, which was conducted Jan. 31 through Feb. 2, to fall within the research’s margin of error. Biden holds a nearly 20-point advantage over Warren in the Hawkeye State. The Democratic Iowa Caucus is a year away. The poll also finds Trump would best Ohio Gov. John Kasich in a head-to-head-match-up in Iowa: 90 percent to 10 percent. Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s potential candidacy would be a death knell for Warren, according to the poll, which surveyed 831 voters with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Other recent polls have made similar discoveries. Biden holds a high favorability rating among black people…
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by Deion A. Kathawa Just a few days before Christmas, departing Ohio Governor John Kasich decided to play a disappointing Santa and put a massive lump of coal in the pro-life movement’s stocking. He vetoed a bill that would have made it a felony for a doctor to perform an abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. Mercifully, he did at least sign a second bill which bans the most common second-trimester abortion procedure, the dilation and evacuation—“D&E”—also called a “dismemberment” abortion, during which a fetus is ripped apart and extracted piece by piece. Is any political constituency as regularly swindled and abused as are pro-lifers? From their promises to defund Planned Parenthood to their assurances that Roe v. Wade is very soon to be on the chopping block, establishment Republicans are masters at talking a big game but doing nothing at all to advance the right to life of the unborn. Too many Republican politicians either are cynical grifters or outright liars who don’t care a whit about the 14th Amendment’s promise of “equal protection of the laws” to all persons or the Declaration’s teaching that “all men are created equal” and “are endowed by their Creator with…
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Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) vetoed a bill Friday that would expand benefits for widows and children of deceased first responders because it also included legislative pay raises. According to The Dayton Daily News, Senate Bill 296 included a provision that would increase pay for lawmakers by 4 percent in 2020, 3 percent in 2021, and then 1.75 percent each subsequent year until 2028. That provision, however, was tacked on at the list minute, and provided Kasich with reason to veto the legislation. The main intention of the bill was to increase benefits for families of first responders killed while on duty, which could be passed again next session and signed into law by Gov.-elect Mike DeWine (R-OH). “I would have signed such a bill into law,” Kasich told The Cincinnati Enquirer. “Unfortunately, I cannot support or condone the last-minute rush to include a controversial pay raise for elected officials into what was an otherwise commendable bill.” State Sen. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) believes Kasich vetoed the bill out of frustration with the General Assembly for failing to pass a “red flag” law. “What I find ironic is there have been a heck of a lot of lawmakers doing work while…
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The Buckeye Institute’s annual Economic Freedom of North America report conducted in partnership with Canada’s Fraser Institute found that Ohio ranks number 38 among the 50 states in economic freedom. The report measured each state’s government spending, taxation, and labor market restrictions as indicators of economic freedom. “The measure of a state’s economic freedom is how well it allows its citizens to reach their fullest economic potential and how well the state creates an environment where families can experience true economic prosperity,” Buckeye Institute economist Dr. Andrew Kidd explains in the report. States that “limit economic freedom,” the report explains, are ones that “spend more taxpayer money than is needed, restrict people from pursuing their careers and dreams, discourage new business start-ups and businesses from coming to their state, and limit the ability of people to provide for their families.” States with “greater economic freedom,” on the other hand, “provide their citizens with the opportunity for greater prosperity.” Ohio was joined by other battleground states such as New Mexico and Minnesota in the “least free” category. States like Florida, Arizona, Colorado, and Virginia were ranked among the most economically free. To improve its ranking, the Buckeye Institute recommends that Ohio…
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Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) vetoed the Ohio General Assembly’s gun-rights legislation Wednesday, even though the bill was removed of most of its substantial provisions before passage. As The Ohio Star reported last week, House Bill 228 was stripped of its “stand your ground” measure, which would free gun owners from abiding by a “duty to retreat” law that requires them to stand down in life threatening situations. After it was removed, the Ohio Gun Owners organization said it was “looking at this thing as a big ‘nothing burger’ now.” The bill did, however, still include a provision that would shift the burden of proof from defendants to the prosecution in self-defense cases—the current law in all 49 other states. But Kasich was upset that the bill didn’t include a “red flag” law, which allows the government to seize guns from people who are mentally ill or are considered a danger to others. “We can’t get it done over there. This really infuriates me,” he said this week, according to The Columbus Dispatch. “Why would I sign a bill that gives more power to gun advocates?” “For the first time in my lifetime, the possibility of somebody coming through that door…
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are heading to Columbus, Ohio Friday for a series of charity events and fundraisers, but one familiar face will be noticeably absent. Trump will headline the Ohio Republican Party state dinner Friday night, but Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has been at odds with the president ever since he first laid eyes on him, will not be attending. “I don’t need to be going to that dinner,” Kasich told the press Tuesday, saying that he will instead spend time with his college-bound daughter. Kasich skipped the same dinner last year when it was announced that Vice President Mike Pence would be speaking. Most recently, the two butted-heads over Republican Troy Balderson’s slim primary victory in his bid to lead Ohio’s 12th Congressional District, with Trump placing the blame on Kasich. “The very unpopular Governor of Ohio (and failed presidential candidate) John Kasich hurt Troy Balderson’s recent win by tamping down enthusiasm for an otherwise great candidate. Even Kasich’s Lt. Governor lost Gov. race because of his unpopularity. Credit to Troy on the big win!” Trump tweeted. Prior to Friday’s dinner, Trump will attend a fundraiser for Republican Senate candidate Jim Renacci, who…
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Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Sunday flatly rejected the idea of first repealing Obamacare and then coming up with a replacement strategy later, saying such an approach will harm the people of his state. Mr. Kasich, a Republican and frequent critic of President Trump dating back to their battles in the 2016 GOP presidential primary, repeated…
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Establishment NeverTrumper politicians Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Arizona Sen. John McCain were quick to gloat as a rising swell of controversy hit the Trump White House. “The only thing I can say is I think we’ve seen this movie before. I think it’s reaching the point where it’s of Watergate size and scale,” McCain told…
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