Category: The Midwest

Kinder, Gentler Iowa Cattle Call of GOP Presidential Hopefuls Sees Ramaswamy, DeSantis, Haley Generate Most Buzz

M.D. Kittle

The latest cattle call of GOP presidential contestants — sans former President Donald Trump — mainly maintained Iowa nice, a departure from last month’s first fiery primary debate and a similar Christian conservative event in July hosted by conservative talk show host lightning rod Tucker Carlson.

The 10 presidential candidates who appeared at Saturday’s Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition’s Annual Fall Banquet and Presidential Town Hall took relatively few direct shots at their rivals.

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Ohio Republican Lawmaker Introduces Legislation to Close Primary Elections and Update the Voter Registration Process

Hannah Poling

A Republican lawmaker introduced legislation last week into the Ohio Senate to move Ohio’s primary elections to a closed system and to allow voters to update their party affiliation at any time up to thirty days before a primary election.

Senate Bill (SB) 147, known as the Voter Registration Modernization Act, sponsored by State Senator Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), attempts to allow voters to be more civically engaged by allowing them to declare their political party affiliation in real-time increasing data, accuracy, and integrity of the voter registration process.

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RFK Jr. Rips DNC in Letter Before Delegate Procedure Vote, Says DNC Has ‘Hijacked the Party Leadership’

M.D. Kittle

The Democratic Party has succumbed to the “siren of control,” according to a letter Robert F. Kennedy Jr. penned to the Democratic National Committee ahead of its controversial meeting that was expected to decide delegate procedures for the 2024 primary elections.

The Kennedy family scion running for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, spares no feelings in calling out the party of his famous father and uncle for losing its way.

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GOP Presidential Hopeful Tim Scott Unveils Economic Plan Ahead of Campaign Trip to Hawkeye State

M.D. Kittle

U.S. Senator and Republican presidential hopeful Tim Scott is unveiling his “Build, Don’t Borrow” economic plan as he prepares for another campaign trip to Iowa.

Scott says his proposal targets runaway government spending, while cutting taxes, expanding jobs and “unleashing American manufacturing and energy production” with his Made in America agenda.

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Ohio Redistricting Commission at Standstill over Inability to Pick Co-Chairs

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Redistricting Commission is currently at a standstill because Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) and House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) cannot agree on who should co-chair the committee.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine officially reconvened the Ohio Redistricting Commission on Wednesday to begin the process of drawing new state legislative maps.

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Still Reeling from $36 Million Defamation Judgment, Oberlin Risks New Suit from Censored Coach

Just the News

A year after Oberlin College finally agreed to pay more than $36 million to family-owned Gibson’s Bakery under a defamation judgment — dragging out appeals until both father and son had died — the Ohio liberal arts school is facing new allegations of character assassination.

Administrators have tried to silence head women’s lacrosse coach Kim Russell about gender ideology’s threat to women’s sports since she questioned transgender swimmer Lia Thomas’s victory in the NCAA women’s 500-yard freestyle last year, she claims.

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Secretary of State Frank LaRose Announces over 150 Ohio Conservative Leaders Endorsing His Run for U.S. Senate

Hannah Poling

Ohio Republican Secretary of State and candidate for U.S. Senate Frank LaRose announced on Wednesday he obtained endorsements from over 150 conservative leaders across Ohio in his campaign to unseat Ohio Democratic U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

According to a press release e-mailed to reporters, LaRose’s vast group of supporters represent a diverse background of local GOP leadership, from mayors, county officeholders, and state legislators to county Republican Party chairs and members of state and county GOP leadership committees.

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New Ohio School Bus Safety Task Force Holds First Meeting

Hannah Poling

A new state task force in Ohio focused on thoroughly evaluating the safety of the state’s school buses held its first meeting on Monday at the Ohio Department of Public Safety headquarters.

As previously reported by The Ohio Star Ohio Governor Mike DeWine formed the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group last month following a Northwestern Local School District bus crash that killed one student and injured more than two dozen in Clark County.

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GOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to Lay Out Blueprint for ‘Rolling Back the Powers’ of the Administrative State in Major Speech

M.D. Kittle

Republican Presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy on Wednesday will lay out his plan to break the grip of power held by the administrative state.

“There is an unconstitutional, fourth branch of government that is choking American democracy, and it is called the administrative state,” Ramaswamy asserts in an advance copy of a white paper speech provided to The Star News Network by the Ohio entrepreneur’s campaign.

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Republican Presidential Candidates Back in Iowa for Faith & Freedom Coalition Cattle Call This Weekend

M.D. Kittle

Ohio entrepreneur and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is back in the kickoff caucus state this week, barnstorming eastern Iowa in five stops in 24 hours.

In fact, the Hawkeye State will be a hive of presidential campaign activity in the coming days — leading up to and through Saturday’s packed Faith & Freedom Coalition Town Hall featuring most of the crowded field of Republican Party presidential candidates.

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Ohio Republican Party Passes Resolutions Against November Marijuana and Abortion Initiatives

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Republican State Central Committee has unanimously endorsed a “no” vote on November’s Issue 2 which aims to legalize unfettered marijuana access across Ohio and passed a resolution condemning November’s Issue 1 to enshrine abortion into the state constitution.

Ohio State Issue 2 aims to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

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Ohio State Representative Bob Young to Resign Following Second Arrest

Hannah Poling

Ohio State Representative Bob Young (R-Green) announced on Friday that he will resign as state representative and chair of the Ohio House Pensions Committee next month following his second arrest in connection with an alleged domestic violence case.

As previously reported by The Ohio Star, a warrant was issued for Young’s arrest in July. He was charged with a 1st-degree misdemeanor domestic violence charge and a 4th-degree felony charge of disrupting public services at his home in Green following an alleged incident at a fundraiser. Young paid $520 of his $5,000 bond or 10 percent plus fees to secure his release and plead not guilty to the charges.

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New Iowa State University Poll Shows Trump Up By 37 Points in Hawkeye State

M.D. Kittle

Former President Donald Trump is dominating the field of Republican presidential hopefuls in the Hawkeye State, according to an Iowa State University/Civiqs poll released Friday.

The poll dropped a day before Trump and GOP presidential nominee rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Ohio entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, are slated to appear at the Cy-Hawk showdown, the much-anticipated annual college football game between the Iowa State Cyclones and the Iowa Hawkeyes in Ames.

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U.S. Senate Democrats Block Vance’s Legislation to Ban Federal Mask Mandates

Hannah Poling

On Thursday, U.S. Senate Democrats blocked Senator JD Vance’s (R-OH) motion for unanimous consent on his legislation to prevent the re-imposition of federal mask mandates in the United States.

This follows Vance introducing The Freedom to Breathe Act on Tuesday which aims to prohibit any federal official, including the President, from issuing mask mandates applying to domestic air travel, public transit systems, or primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools. The legislation would also prohibit air carriers, transit authorities, and educational institutions from refusing service to individuals who choose not to wear a mask.

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Bad News for Biden: New CNN Poll Shows Trump, Other GOP Candidates Could Beat Him in 2024

M.D. Kittle

The news just keeps getting worse for President Joe Biden and his re-election bid.

Already facing an overwhelming majority of Americans who do not want to see him run again (including an alarming number of Democrats), the liberal incumbent is polling under former President Trump and other GOP presidential candidates, according to a new CNN poll.

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Democratic Redistricting Challengers Ask Ohio Supreme Court to Dismiss Their Own Lawsuits

Hannah Poling

Democrats challenging Ohio’s Republican-drawn state legislative map asked the Ohio Supreme Court this week to dismiss their own lawsuits, claiming that a newly passed map this year may be worse than the map currently in use.

Democrats submitted the lawsuits in 2021 contending that the current legislative map “unduly favors the Republican Party.”

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U.S. Senator JD Vance Introduces Legislation to Ban Federal Mask Mandates

Hannah Poling

 U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) introduced legislation on Tuesday to prevent the re-imposition of federal mask mandates in the United States.

The Freedom to Breathe Act, sponsored by Vance would prohibit any federal official, including the president, from issuing mask mandates applying to domestic air travel, public transit systems, or primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools.

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Trump to Attend Iowa-Iowa State Rivalry Game, While Rivals Ramaswamy and Hutchinson Rally

M.D. Kittle

Saturday’s Cy-Hawk showdown will feature an added layer of competition, the kind the first-in-the-nation caucus state has grown accustomed to.

Former President Donald Trump and GOP presidential rivals Vivek Ramaswamy and Asa Hutchinson will be in attendance at annual intrastate battle between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.

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Interview: Long-Shot Presidential Hopeful Doug Burgum Says He’s In Campaign Until At Least the First Nominating Contests

M.D. Kittle

North Dakota Governor and GOP presidential hopeful Doug Burgum may be lagging far behind in the national polls, but this long-shot candidate is brimming with confidence.

Still hobbled by a severe Achille’s tendon injury suffered during a pick-up basketball game the day before last month’s pivotal first Republican presidential primary debate in Milwaukee, Burgum says he’s here to stay for the long haul. At least until the first culling contests early next year in the 2024 nomination chase.

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Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan Says Political Outsider Vivek Ramaswamy ‘Shouldn’t be Running for President’

M.D. Kittle

Although he’s decided not to seek the GOP presidential nomination, former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has plenty of advice on who shouldn’t be a candidate.

Hogan told CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday that Ohio businessman and political outsider Vivek Ramaswamy “shouldn’t be running for president.

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Ohio GOP ‘Clarifies’ Democrats’ Stance on Abortion Before November Ballot Initiative

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Republican Party notified voters where Ohio Democrats stand on abortion before a November ballot initiative that would enshrine abortion into the state Constitution.

The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom proposed “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety,” which would add Section 22 to Article 1 of the state Constitution.

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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Officially Reconvenes Redistricting Commission

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine officially called for the Ohio Redistricting Commission to reconvene to begin the process of drawing new state legislative maps on September 13th, 2023.

The official notice states that, after DeWine reconvenes the commission, “the appointments of any appointed members of the commission will be entered into the record, the administration of the Oath of Office will occur, the roll will be called, the co-chairpersons will be formally entered into the record and the meeting will be turned over to the co-chairpersons.”

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Ramaswamy Blasts DeSantis ‘Monster PAC’ Following Report of Fake News Dirty Politics

M.D. Kittle

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is blasting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and “Monster PAC” following a report exposing the political action committee’s campaign in “spreading dirt” and “misstatements” about the poll-rising Ramaswamy.

“It came out yesterday that the DeSantis $100m+ Monster PAC is taking credit with their donors for ‘spreading dirt’ and manufacturing fake attacks on me,” the Ohio biotech entrepreneur said in a statement.

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Upcoming Supreme Court Elections in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Michigan Could Tip Majorities on the Bench Just in Time for the 2024 Elections

Admin

Three swing states will hold elections to their supreme courts over the next 18 months, potentially altering court compositions amid key cultural and political flashpoints such as abortion, guns and redistricting.

Between 2023 and 2024, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan will hold elections for several seats on their supreme courts, which have the final word on matters of state law regarding abortion and gerrymandering, among others. These seats are likely to be highly contested as partisan groups seek to bring litigation to change the law on these issues, political strategists and academics told the DCNF.

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Ohio to Spend over $111 Million to Support Tech-Based Companies in the State

Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced that the state plans to spend approximately $111 million to support Ohio tech-based companies.

According to a press release, two new funds, the Ohio Early Stage Focus Fund, and the Ohio Venture Fund, will aid in boosting early-stage capital investments in Ohio technology-based businesses, accelerating the growth of high-potential businesses, and creating an environment that encourages the growth, retention, and recruitment of technology businesses to Ohio.

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Ohio Lawmakers Form New Senate Select Committee on Housing

Hannah Poling

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) announced last week the creation of a new Senate Select Committee to discuss housing affordability, community growth, and the steps the legislature can take to improve Ohioans’ access to home ownership.

According to Huffman, the committee will hold hearings around the state to learn and discover what the state can do to remove barriers to home ownership in Ohio. Some issues to be discussed include housing shortages, inflation, taxes, and affordability.

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Post Debate, Georgia Arrest and Mugshot, Trump Continues to Dominate GOP Race

M.D. Kittle

So much for indictments, mug shots, and the first GOP presidential primary debate. Teflon Donald Trump remains the clear favorite among Republican voters, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll.

The online survey of 1,500 adults, most of them registered voters, provides an interesting snapshot on just how important last week’s debate was — or wasn’t — and how unpopular some of the GOP presidential candidates are.

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Ohio Secretary of State Says Final Legislative Maps Need Approval by September 22nd

Hannah Poling

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose says that the Ohio Redistricting Commission needs to begin the process of drawing new state legislative maps as soon as possible because any delay could potentially conflict with the statutory requirements of election administration if final maps aren’t approved by the end of next month.

On Wednesday, LaRose sent a letter to the members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission emphasizing the importance of expediting the completion of the new state legislative maps.

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Ohio Redistricting Commission Meeting in Flux After Attorney General Says Only Governor May Reconvene Them

Hannah Poling

The first 2023 scheduled meeting of the Ohio Redistricting Commission is in flux after Attorney General Dave Yost sent a letter on Monday to the commission stating that only Governor Mike DeWine has the authority to reconvene them.

This follows the two co-chairs of the commission, State Representative Jeff LaRe (R-Fairfield County) and Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), announcing last week that the panel would meet on September 13th to start the process of drawing new state legislative maps.

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Ramaswamy Fires Back at Haley on Her Israel Claims, as War of Words Intensifies

M.D. Kittle

Ohio biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is firing back against Republican presidential opponent Nikki Haley in a blistering war of words over his position on U.S.-Israel relations.

Ramaswamy took aim at the former United Nations ambassador after her appearance Tuesday on Fox News in which she claimed that Ramaswamy would “abandon Israel” as president.

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Ohio Manufacturers Urge No Vote on Recreational Marijuana Measure on November Ballot

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association urged Ohioans to vote “no” on a November ballot measure to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

This follows the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association voting to oppose the ballot measure, now titled Issue 2 for the November general election, at a special meeting of its board of directors on Tuesday.

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Abortion Activists File Lawsuit Against Ohio Ballot Board’s Condensed Version of Amendment for November Election

Hannah Poling

A coalition of pro-abortion activists filed a lawsuit on Monday challenging the Ohio Ballot Board’s decision to use a condensed version of a proposed amendment written by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office for the November ballot that would enshrine abortion into the state Constitution. 

This follows the Ohio Ballot Board rejecting the full text of the proposed amendment. The summary language does not alter what the actual amendment would say in the state Constitution but is the last representation of the amendment Ohioans read before casting their vote.

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Google Announces Another $1.7 Billion Investment in Central Ohio

Hannah Poling

Google announced on Monday the expansion of its footprint in Central Ohio, committing to invest another $1.7 billion between its data centers in New Albany, Columbus, and Lancaster.

Earlier this year, the firm announced that it would construct two new data centers in central Ohio, one in Lancaster and the other on South High Street in South Columbus, in addition to its existing data center complex in New Albany, bringing Google’s total investment in the state to over $2 billion. According to Google, as of May, it has generated nearly $13 billion in economic activity for businesses and nonprofits.

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Senator JD Vance Urges U.S. Forest Service to Reverse ‘Misguided’ Proposal to Rename Wayne National Forest

Hannah Poling

U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) is urging the U.S. Forest Service to reverse a “Misguided” proposal to strip Wayne National Forest of its historically significant name.

The Wayne National Forest, established in 1992, is located in the southeastern part of Ohio, in the Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau. It is the only national forest in Ohio.

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Ohio Ballot Board Approves Language of Recreational Marijuana Measure for November Election

Hannah Poling
Cannabis Dispensary

The Ohio Ballot Board has approved the language for a November ballot measure to legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

The board approved the full ballot language as drafted by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, now titled Issue 2 for the November general election unanimously without discussion.

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Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Legislation Creating Oversight for Unlicensed Massage Businesses to Combat Human Trafficking

Hannah Poling

Two Republican Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill into the Ohio House of Representatives to combat human trafficking by providing oversight for unlicensed massage businesses.

House Bill (HB) 255, sponsored by State Representatives Kevin Miller (R-Newark) and Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg), aims to establish a Non-Therapeutic Massage Registry in Ohio through the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to provide “needed oversight” for unlicensed non-therapeutic-massage-establishments.

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Ohio State University Medical Students Required to Read ‘Antiracism’ Docs

Admin

Ohio State University College of Medicine (OSUCOM) students are required to read a slew of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and antiracism literature, including an opinion piece that recommends a White colleague not ask a Black colleague how they are doing.  

“This opinion piece … informs the reader of ‘things to be mindful of with not only Black friends but also Black Colleagues in the workplace.’ One recommendation is to stop asking, ‘How are you doing?’ Its reason is that the situation ‘for Black People (and all People of Color)’ is to ‘experience racism every day,’” the July 2023 report published by Do No Harm, a medical nonprofit, states.

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Ohio Ballot Board Approves Condensed Version of Abortion Amendment for November Election

Hannah Poling

The Ohio Ballot Board on Thursday rejected using the full text of a proposed amendment for the November ballot that would enshrine abortion into the state Constitution, instead adopting a condensed version of the text written by the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.

The board approved the condensed language, now titled Issue 1 for the November general election, in a 3-2 split decision. The board can decide to use the full text of the proposed amendment or use a condensed version of the text for the ballot language.

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RFK Jr. Uses Surprise Country Hit Song ‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ to Blast GOP Presidential Candidates in This Week’s Debate

M.D. Kittle

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. hasn’t declared a winner in this week’s GOP presidential debate, but he does know who the loser is: The American people.

The Kennedy family scion and Democrat challenger to President Joe Biden for the Democratic Party presidential nomination blasted the eight Republican candidates who took the stage in Milwaukee as out of touch with the average American.

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Ohio Attorney General Rejects Petition to Create Citizen-Led Redistricting Commission

Hannah Poling

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rejected a petition Wednesday that tries to amend the state Constitution by creating a 15-member citizen-appointed panel to draw state legislative and congressional maps, claiming that the language lacks clarity and accuracy.

The amendment, submitted by the Ohio coalition known as Citizens not Politicians, aiming for the November 2024 presidential election, looks to repeal Articles XI and XIX of the Ohio Constitution and introduce Article XX to create a citizen-led redistricting commission and remove that power from the Ohio Redistricting Commission.

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Cleveland Browns Owners Endorse State Senator Matt Dolan for U.S. Senate

Hannah Poling

The Cleveland Browns owners on Monday endorsed State Senator Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) in his run for U.S. Senate against U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in 2024.

The Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam announced their support for Dolan, who owns a stake in another professional sports team, the Cleveland Guardians, saying they have taken on the roles of his Senate campaign’s Statewide Finance Chairs.

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