The Ohio Republican Party officially endorsed businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy for Ohio governor on Friday.
Read the full storyTag: Mike DeWine
Ohio GOP Civil War: Jack Windsor Details Power Struggle Among Republicans Over 2026 Gubernatorial Race
Jack Windsor, president and editor-in-chief at The Ohio Press Network, said businessman and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy’s bid to be the next governor of the Buckeye State has displayed how the Ohio Republican Party is deeply split between the “old guard” and the “new guard.”
Read the full storyEast Palestine Schools Sue Norfolk Southern for $30 Million
Citing broken promises and unpaid response costs, the East Palestine City District Board of Education sued Norfolk Southern on Wednesday.
Read the full storyMore Money Headed to East Palestine for Medical Services
Ohio is sending an additional $750,000 in taxpayer funds to move a primary care facility in East Palestine to a new location.
The money is expected to help East Liverpool City Hospital create the new location for the facility in the small, eastern Ohio village impacted two years ago by a train derailment and toxic chemical release.
Read the full storyTressel Confirmed as Ohio Lieutenant Governor
Former national champion football coach at Ohio State and political rookie Jim Tressel was quickly confirmed Wednesday by the Ohio House and Senate as the state’s new lieutenant governor.
Tressel was nominated by Gov. Mike DeWine to fill the role vacated by U.S. Sen. Jon Husted.
Read the full storyEast Palestine, Norfolk Southern Reach $22 Million Settlement
Nearly two years after a train derailment sent toxic chemicals into the air, ground and water, the village of East Palestine, Ohio, and Norfolk Southern reached a deal to resolve all claims from the wreck.
According to court documents, Norfolk Southern agreed to pay $22 million for priorities identified by the village in connection with the derailment.
Read the full storyDeWine Picks Husted as Ohio’s Next Senator
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine picked Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted as Ohio’s next senator.
“The person who is suited to be the next United States Senator is a person who has been close to me the last six years. A person who almost daily I work with,” DeWine said. “And that person is Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted.”
Read the full storyTom Zawistowski ‘Frustrated’ Ohio Governor Stalling in Announcing U.S. Senate Appointment to Fill JD Vance’s Seat
Tom Zawistowski, president of the Ohio-based We the People Convention, said he is “frustrated” that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has yet to announce the individual he is appointing to the U.S. Senate to fill Vice President-elect JD Vance’s seat.
Read the full storyDeWine on the Clock to Pick Vance’s Replacement
Ohio’s next U.S. senator is in the hands of Gov. Mike DeWine after Vice President-elect J.D. Vance submitted his resignation Thursday night.
Vance, whose resignation took effect at midnight Friday morning, promised to help President-elect Donald Trump push his agenda forward as vice president. Trump and Vance will be sworn in Jan. 20.
Read the full storyOhio Dems Push for Vetoes for Parts of New Legislation
Ohio House Democrats want Gov. Mike DeWine to veto several parts of bills passed during a flurry of activity as the two-year General Session came to a close last week.
Read the full storyAmazon Web Services Plans $10 Billion Ohio Investment
Amazon plans to invest $10 billion over the next five years to expand data centers across the state.
Monday’s announcement is on top of a $7.8 billion plan announced last year and more than $6 billion already spent in Ohio through the end of 2022.
Read the full storyCommentary: Push Ohio Healthcare Price Transparency Legislation Across the Finish Line
Ohio state legislators are putting the finishing touches on bipartisan legislation to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. This week, state representatives and senators are working in conference to negotiate the final text of hospital price transparency legislation each chamber has passed versions of. They must pass this vital patient protection before the legislative session concludes at the end of the week, and Gov. DeWine must sign it into law.
Like many Ohioans, I learned about the importance of upfront hospital prices the hard way. After experiencing intense abdominal pain last year, my physician told me I needed umbilical hernia surgery — a four-hour outpatient procedure at a hospital in Barberton. The surgery was a success, and I wasn’t overly concerned about the cost because I have good insurance through my husband’s union job.
Read the full storyWoke Ohio College President Says State Bathroom Ban ‘Hurts Us All’
The president of Antioch College criticized Governor Mike DeWine on Monday for signing Senate Bill 104 (SB 104), which prohibits students from using the school bathrooms that correspond with their gender identity.
“Policies like the one just signed into law harm all of us. When we allow discriminatory laws to take root, we all lose,” President Jane Fernandes said in letter to the editor of The Columbus Dispatch.
Read the full storyTom Zawistowski: Next Ohio U.S. Senator Appointed by Governor Must be Able to Defend the Seat in 2026
Tom Zawistowski, president of the We the People Convention, stressed that the next U.S. senator appointed by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to succeed Vice President-elect JD Vance must be a strong enough candidate to defend the seat in the 2026 special election.
Read the full storyIntel, Feds Reach Deal on $8 Billion in CHIPS Money
After delays and lobbying from business groups around the country, the U.S. Department of Commerce and Intel announced a deal Tuesday morning to release nearly $8 billion in direct CHIPS Act funding.
The $7.86 billion directly impacts Intel’s commercial semiconductor manufacturing and advanced manufacturing projects in Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon.
Read the full storyDeWine’s Senate Seat Pick Could Alienate MAGA Voters, Conservative Leader Warns
Tom Zawistowski, president of the We the People Convention, is not confident that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will appoint a MAGA Republican to Ohio U.S. Senator JD Vance’s seat once he is sworn in as U.S. Vice President on January 20, 2025.
Read the full storyOhio Plans to Spend Nearly $20 Million to Get People to Work
Ohio plans to spend $17.5 million in taxpayer funds to get people to and from work.
The state announced a series of grants Friday to fund workforce transportation efforts in both rural and urban areas across the state as part of the Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership Program.
Read the full storyPrior to Ban, Ohio Ranked Among Top States for Minor Gender Reassignment Procedures
Before a ban on gender reassignment procedures on minors, Ohio was ranked among the top states in the nation for total procedures as well as the number of procedures performed per residents, according to newly released data from a nonprofit.
Earlier this year, the Ohio legislature enacted House Bill 68, which banned the prescription of hormone blockers and hormone replacement therapy, along with gender reassignment surgeries on youth such as mastectomies. The law was first vetoed by Gov. Mike DeWine – which was overridden – and then later upheld in court following a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union.
Read the full storySpringfield Has Cut Police Radio Access as City Descends into ‘Absolute Turmoil,’ Says Police Chief of Nearby Town
An Ohio police chief says his access to Springfield’s police radio frequency was cut off after the beleaguered city became a political lightening rod over its Haitian immigrant crisis.
Tremont City Police Chief Chad Duncan told Blaze News’ Julio Rosas that Springfield has fallen into “absolute turmoil” since being inundated with up to 20,000 Haitian nationals, and said the lawlessness is spreading to nearby towns, including his own. Tremont City is located approximately eight miles north of Springfield.
Read the full storyVivek Ramaswamy to Hold Town Hall in Springfield, Ohio
Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will hold a town hall event in Springfield, Ohio, to “have open and honest dialogue” as the city struggles with the effects of mass migration.
Ramaswamy said the town hall event will be held on Thursday evening in the Edward Wren Room at the Bushnell Events Center and is open to hearing “diverse voices from the local community, including Haitian immigrants.”
Read the full storyShoplifting and Vehicle Thefts Soared as Haitian Migrants Poured into Ohio Town, Police Data Shows
Reports of shoplifting and vehicle theft increased considerably in Springfield, Ohio, following the arrival of thousands of Haitian refugees, according to data obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation through a records request. The town, which had a population of 58,622 in 2020, has taken in between 12,000 and 20,000 Haitian refugees over the past three years, marking a population increase of between 20.4% and 34.1%. From 2021 to 2023, Springfield also saw a 51.5% jump in motor vehicle theft reports and a 112.8% spike in reports of shoplifting, data provided by the Springfield Police Division shows.
Read the full storyOhio Governor Defends Haitian Illegal Aliens
In a recent interview, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) voiced his support for importing as many illegal aliens as possible into his state, defending the surge of 20,000 Haitian illegals into the town of Springfield, Ohio.
Read the full storyOhio GOP Gov. DeWine Sending $2.5 Million, Law Enforcement to Springfield amid Surge of Haitian Migrants
Mike DeWine, the GOP governor of Ohio, is sending law enforcement and about $2.5 million in health funding to assist the city of Springfield with the influx of temporary Haitian migrants.
According to local news reports, 15,000 Haitians have arrived in the city of roughly 59,000 people since 2020.
Read the full storyJack Windsor: Media Ignoring Overarching Problem of an ‘Invasion’ of Haitian Migrants in Springfield, Ohio
Jack Windsor, president and editor-in-chief at The Ohio Press Network, said the mainstream media outlets are too “distracted” by reports of Haitian migrants in the town of Springfield, Ohio, that are allegedly stealing residents’ pets for consumption that the overarching issue of nearly an entire U.S. town being “invaded” by Haitians is being ignored.
“Springfield has been invaded by Haitian immigrants, and right now, mainstream outlets are really distracted by this idea that the Haitians may be eating cats or geese. But, it’s about more than eating cats and geese. It’s really about the cultural divide and the fast and explosive migrant growth in Springfield,” Windsor explained on Wednesday’s edition of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show.
Read the full storyDeWine Issues Memo to Schools Following Georgia Shooting
In the wake of a Georgia high school shooting that killed four and injured nine, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine issued a memo to school superintendents across the state reminding them of safety options.
The state started the Ohio School Safety program in 2019, spreading safety support personnel across 16 regions covering all 88 counties. The program helps K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and first responders prevent, prepare for, and respond to threats and acts of violence.
Read the full storyBallot Drop Box Battles: States, Municipalities Seek to Ban Them as November Election Nears
Two months out from Election Day and less than two weeks before early voting begins, states and municipalities are fighting over whether to implement ballot drop boxes, amid election integrity and practical concerns.
Ballot drop boxes, a method of voting that became more widespread during the 2020 presidential election as COVID-19 lockdowns continued, are facing a pushback in several municipalities and states ahead of the November election.
Read the full storyFormer Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton Considering a Run for Governor in 2026
Dr. Amy Acton, former Ohio Department of Health Director, told reporters at the Democratic National Convention this week that she is considering launching a campaign for Ohio governor in 2026.
Read the full storyCampaign to Change Ohio’s Redistricting Process Raises $23 Million, Primarily from Out of State Entities
The campaign behind the proposed constitutional amendment that would amend Ohio’s constitution by rewriting redistricting rules has raised more than $23 million this year, according to campaign finance reports.
Read the full storyOhio Launches Mobile ID Program for Apple Devices
Ohioans can now upload their driver’s licenses or state identification (ID) cards directly to their Apple devices through a collaboration between InnovateOhio, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), and Apple.
Read the full storyOhio Crisis Line Handles 14,000 Contacts Monthly
A hotline established to combat suicide in Ohio received nearly 340,000 communications in the two years since its launch.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced the two-year statistics for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, saying the service has grown to provide more call centers than any other state.
Read the full storyJD Vance Well-Received by Republican Leaders as Former President Trump’s 2024 Running Mate
Elected officials and leaders of the Republican Party expressed tremendous support for Ohio U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) after former President Donald Trump announced Vance as his running mate in the 2024 presidential election.
Read the full storyOhio Lawmaker Wants Rioters to Pay for Damages
In the wake of recent protests on college and university campuses in Ohio and nationwide, an Ohio senator wants to make rioters pay for property damages while breaking the law.
Senate Bill 267, which is awaiting a committee assignment, would also stop government officials from interfering with law enforcement officers during a riot.
Read the full storyOhio Legislature Approves Bill to Secure Biden’s Spot on the November Ballot
The Ohio legislature on Friday approved legislation to ensure that President Joe Biden will appear on the state’s general election ballot this November.
“I don’t think anybody on this side of the aisle really feels like they’re going to be voting for President Biden, but at the same time, Ohioans deserve a choice in this election, and that’s what we’re seeking to give them today,” GOP state Sen. Rob McColley said, according to NBC News.
Read the full storyOhio House Sends Biden Ballot, Foreign Campaign Money Bills to Senate
The Ohio House approved in special session Thursday what it said was a compromise between House and Senate Republicans that would prohibit foreign contributions to any political campaign and create a legislative fix to allow President Joe Biden on the November ballot.
The two bills come despite the Democratic National Committee saying Tuesday it would hold a roll call vote ahead of the planned late-August convention to officially nominate Biden and beat Ohio’s Aug. 7 deadline to make the general election.
Read the full storyOhio Leaders Oppose New Rule on Fossil Fuel Plans
A new federal rule on fossil fuel power plants would hurt Ohio’s energy grid and limit the state’s ability to attract new business, Gov. Mike DeWine said.
The governor and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted each signed a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Administrator Michael Regan opposing the rule, which many think will lead to the quicker decommissioning of operating power plans.
Read the full storyOhio Governor Mike DeWine’s Push to Ensure Biden Is on the State’s Ballot Is a ‘Real Serious Problem,’ Tom Zawistowski Says
Tom Zawistowski, president of the We the People Convention, said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s push to put incumbent Democrat President Joe Biden on the state’s general election ballot by calling a special session of the Ohio General Assembly is a “real serious problem.”
Read the full storyOhio Governor Calls Special Session to Pass Measure Allowing Biden on November Ballot
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) said Thursday that he is calling a special session of the General Assembly to pass legislation next week to ensure President Biden is on the November ballot for the general election.
“Ohio is running out of time to get Joe Biden, the sitting President of the United States, on the ballot this fall. Failing to do so is simply unacceptable. This is ridiculous. This is (an) absurd situation,” DeWine said, according to the Associated Press.
Read the full storyOhio Governor Signs Bill Requiring Schools to Implement Official Policy Limiting Use of Cellphones by Students
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 250 on Wednesday, requiring schools to implement official policy governing students’ use of cellphones during school hours.
The bill aims to “minimize student use of cellphones in K-12 schools” by requiring school districts to create a policy that reduces cellphone-related distractions in classroom settings.
Read the full storyOhio Targets Road Salt Runoff with New Grants
More than 30 Ohio municipalities will share in nearly $2 million in taxpayer funds in the state’s first effort to reduce the amount of salt used on the roads during the winter.
State officials hope the new program will reduce runoff into streams, rivers and lakes.
Read the full storyOhio Unemployment Rate Rises in February
Ohio’s job market continues to cool.
The state’s unemployment rate rose again in March, while the labor participation rate remained steady, according to figures released by the state Department of Job and Family Services.
Read the full storyOhio Governor Mike DeWine Delivers State of the State Address
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine delivered his 2024 State of the State Address to a joint State House and Senate session on Wednesday.
The governor laid out his agenda, which focused on Ohio’s youth, specifically improving access to child care and children’s health care.
Read the full storyIntel Issues First Ohio Progress Report on $1.5 Billion Facilities
Intel’s first required progress report shows a $1.5 billion expenditure and another $3 billion committed to what Ohio officials call the largest single private-sector investment in state history.
The report, submitted to the Ohio Department of Development, is part of $2 billion in incentives for the two planned microchip manufacturing facilities in Licking County, including taxpayer-funded grants and tax incentives.
Read the full storyOhio Governor Mike DeWine Endorses Matt Dolan in U.S. Senate Race
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine have endorsed State Senator Matt Dolan’s (R-Chagrin Falls) bid for U.S. Senate.
Read the full storySen. JD Vance Says East Palestine Ohio ‘May Have Been Poisoned to Facilitate the Rapid Movement of Freight’ After NTSB Chair Confirms 2023 Controlled Chemical Explosion Was ‘Unnecessary’
U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) questioned National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy on the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine last year during a Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee hearing entitled, “National Transportation Safety Board Investigations Report” on Wednesday.
On February 3, 2023, 50 train carriages, 10 of which were carrying hazardous materials, derailed in East Palestine. Hundreds of residents evacuated as a result of a controlled burn of noxious vinyl chloride that Norfolk Southern carried out on February 6 to stop an explosion.
Read the full storyOhio Launches New Online Tool to Help Families Locate and Research Nursing Homes Across the State
The Ohio Department of Aging has launched a new online tool to empower Ohioans when considering a nursing home for themselves or a loved one.
The Ohio Nursing Home Quality Navigator is an online tool that provides users with detailed information about nursing homes across the state.
Read the full storyJudge Blocks Ohio’s Social Media Parental Notification Act from Being Enforced
Chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Algenon L. Marbley granted NetChoice’s request for a preliminary injunction that stops the state’s Social Media Parental Notification Act from being enforced on Monday.
Last month, NetChoice sued Ohio to block the Social Media Parental Notification Act from taking effect.
Read the full storyACLU of Ohio to File Lawsuit Challenging House Bill 68’s Ban of Gender-Affirming Care for Minors
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio announced Monday it will file a lawsuit challenging the Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, which is included in House Bill 68.
Read the full storyActivists, Lawmakers Applaud Ohio Senate’s Veto Override of House Bill 68
The Ohio Senate voted to override Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68 on Wednesday, sparking an array of applause from activists and GOP lawmakers.
House Bill 68, which will become law in 90 days, combines two bills: the Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act and the Save Women’s Sports Act.
Read the full storyMore Than 100 Law Enforcement Agencies Across Ohio Awarded Grant Funds for Body Cam Programs
A total of 108 law enforcement agencies across Ohio have been awarded grant funds to cover costs associated with body cam programs, according to Governor Mike DeWine’s office.
Read the full storyOhio Governor Reacts to House Veto Override of House Bill 68
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued a one-sentence statement after the Ohio House of Representatives voted to override his veto of House Bill 68 on Wednesday.
Read the full story