Ohio’s governor Tuesday released a campaign ad bragging about his toughness.
“He’s not afraid of the tough fights – Governor Mike DeWine,” the ad says. “When big city unions refused to open our schools, he took them head-on and got our kids back in the classroom. As China cheats with unfair trade tactics, DeWine fought to bring manufacturing jobs back to Ohio. While radicals pushed to defund our police, DeWine increased funding for law enforcement to keep us safe.”
The ad closed by saying DeWine “fights and wins” for Ohio.
🚨NEW: @JonHusted and I aren't afraid of tough fights. And we're not just fighting for Ohio, we're WINNING. pic.twitter.com/5c9tGS6Saj
— Mike DeWine (@MikeDeWine) March 29, 2022
But former U.S. Congressman and opposing gubernatorial candidate Jim Renacci, who is duking it out with DeWine in the primary race, did not find DeWine’s ad to be particularly sincere.
“If Mike DeWine is so anxious about defending his record, he should stop putting out misleading TV ads and join me on the debate stage instead,” Renacci said in a statement provided to The Ohio Star Tuesday.
DeWine recently said he will not participate in a debate in late March held by the Ohio Debate Commission. He did not give an explanation for missing the occasion.
“DeWine senses that Ohio Republicans are about to put an end to his four-decade political career,” Renacci said. “Ohioans remember DeWine is the candidate that shut down our schools and then forced our children to wear masks in school. They remember that DeWine called the Left’s 2020 riots ‘understandable and appropriate.’ They remember that DeWine killed three quarters of a million jobs with his Fauci-inspired lockdowns, and are reminded every day that Ohio has one of the worst economic recoveries in the nation under his watch.”
“Real conservative leadership is coming soon, and it all starts with defeating DeWine in May,” Renacci said.
Renacci, who is polling neck-and-neck with DeWine, earlier this month received an endorsement from the Butler County GOP.
The primary election will be held on May 3.
Political newcomer Joe Blystone is also a candidate vying for the Republican nomination.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected].
